IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


z 


1.0 


I.I 


U2 


It: 


2.2 


lU 

u 


14  0 


2.0 


L25  III  1.4 


III 


1.6 


*;. 


'/ 


^^ 


Photographic 

Sciences 
Corporation 


23  M  EST  MAIN  STRErT 

WEBST^f'.  ^5.v   K530 
(716)  872-4)03 


U.x 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  institute  for  Historicai  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
original  copy  available  for  filming.  Features  of  this 
copy  which  may  be  bibliographically  unique, 
which  may  alter  any  of  the  images  In  the 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  change 
the  usual  method  of  filming,  are  checked  below. 


□ 
D 
D 
D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 

Covers  damaged/ 
Couverture  endommagde 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  pellicul6e 

Cover  title  missing/ 

Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  gdographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I — I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 
D 


n 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couleur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
Relid  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

Lareliure  serr6e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  int6rieure 

Blenk  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  the  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajout^es 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissent  dans  le  texte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  dtait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  6t6  film6es. 


L'Institut  a  microfilmd  le  meilleur  exemplaire 
qu'il  lui  a  6x6  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
de  cet  exemplaire  qui  sont  peut-dtre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique,  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  image  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithode  normale  de  filmage 
sont  indiqu6s  ci-dessous. 

□    Coloured  pages/ 
Pages  de  couleur 

□    Pages  damaged/ 
Pages  endommag^es 

n    Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pages  restaurdes  et/ou  pellicul6es 

I — 1    Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 


Tl 
t( 


y 


D 
D 


Pages  ddcolor^es,  tachet^es  ou  piqu6e£ 

Pages  detached/ 
Pages  ddtachdes 


Showthrough/ 
Transparence 


I      I    Quality  of  print  varies/ 


Qualitd  in^gale  de  I'impression 

Includes  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  materiel  suppldmentaire 


Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Edition  disponible 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partiellement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  une  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  6td  film^es  d  nouveau  de  fagon  d 
obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


T 

1^ 
o 
fi 


G 
b 
tl 

si 
o 
fi 
3i 
o 


T 
si 
T 
w 

d 

ei 
b 
ri 
r( 
nr 


D 


Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  suppl6mentaires: 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmd  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu6  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


y 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Th«  copy  filmad  her*  hat  b««n  raproducad  thanka 
to  tha  ganaroaity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


L'axamplaira  filmA  fut  raproduit  grica  A  la 
gtnAroalt*  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 


Tha  imagas  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
litoaaibia  conaidaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apacifications. 


Laa  imagaa  suivantaa  ont  AtA  raproduitas  avac  la 
plua  grand  aoin.  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattatA  da  l'axamplaira  film*,  at  an 
conformity  avac  laa  conditions  du  contrat  da 
fiimaga. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covars  are  filmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  ending  on 
the  laat  page  with  a  printad  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  ara  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Lea  exemplairas  originaux  dont  la  couvarture  an 
papier  est  imprimAe  sont  filmAs  en  commen^ant 
par  la  premier  plat  at  en  »erminant  aoit  par  la 
darniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'WIustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autras  exemplairas 
originaux  sont  filmAs  oa  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
dernidre  image  da  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  — ^-  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
film6s  A  des  taux  da  reduction  diffirants. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
raproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  film6  A  partir 
de  Tangle  supdrieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Las  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


%        a 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

\ 


nra 


»^^<ga!ig%g%'^i»i8gge3^^ 


^"v^h^^ 


f7\DVENtURE 


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y 


TPiAVEL, 
DVENTUKE,  AND  SPORT 


I'lUJM 


'BlacfetooolJ's   iWagajinc' 


I 

i 


VOL.    I. 


XEW    YOEK:    WHITE    AXD    ALLEX 

WILLIAM    BLACKWOOD    AND    SONS 
EDLNBUULIll    AND    LONDON' 


•>T  it 


) 


DII 
A 

lie 

RE 

A 

TH 


CONTENTS  OF  THE  FIRST  VOLUME. 


DISCOVERY  OF  THE  VICTORIA  NYANZA. 
:MY  HOME  IN  PALESTINE. 
U  SKETCH  IN  THE  TROPICS. 

low   I  CAUGHT   MY   FIRST  SALMON. 
NARRATIVE  OF  THE   RED  RIVER  EXPEDITION. 
REMARKABLE   PRESERVATION   FROM   DEATH   AT  SEA. 
A   RIDE  TO  BABYLON. 
THE  KING  OF  TRISTAN  D'ACUNHA :  A  FORGOTTEN  MONARCH. 


pro 
bei 
ad\ 

veil 
iunc 


VA  A  c  V .  Q/v.    )\J<  C).^/^^ V  V 


<r^  -  0 


\  G  \ 


:u^f 


NARrtATIVE   OF   THE   KEl)   RIVER 
EXPEDITION. 

BY   GENERAL    VISCOUNT   WOLSELEY,  G.C.B. 

[MAG  A.    Deckmbkh  1870-Februarv  1871.) 


I. 


WHILST  two  great  Powers  were   preparing  for 
that  fearful  war  which  in  1870  devastated  the 
provinces  of  France,  a  small  military  expedition  was 
being  organised  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Superior  for  an 
advance  into  the  Red  River  Territory.     The  writer  of 
this  article  took  an  active  part  in  the  many  wild  ad- 
ventures by  flood  and  field  encountered  during  that 
jundertaking,  and  has  good  reason  to  remember  with 
Indmiration  the  manner  in  which  all  ranks  bore  their 
jshare  of  the  excessive  toil  and  constant  exposure  en- 
tailed upon  them  during  that  curiously  interesting 
joperation.     It   had   been   determined   upon   in   the 
[spring,  and  the  circumstances  which  necessitated  it 
nay  be  briefly  described  as  follows. 

VOL.    I.  Q 


198 


TKAVEL,   ADVEXTL'1:E,  AND   SPOKT. 


AfttT  many  years  of  fruitless  negotiation  between 
Canada  and  tlio  Hiulson  IJay  Company,  in  wliirli 
England  acted  as  a  sort  of  go-between  or  nmtual 
friend,  it  was  arranged,  in  18G9,  that  the  undefined 
country  officially  known  as  Jiupert's  Land,  together 
with  all  the  territorial  rights  appertaining  to  the 
Company  in  Xorth  America,  should  be  transferred  to 
the  recently-estaldished  Dominion  of  Canada  for  the 
sum  of  £300,000.  That  was  practically  the  arrange- 
ment ;  but  there  was  a  three-cornered  ceremony  to  be 
gone  through  first,  in  accordance  with  which  those 
vast  outlying  portions  of  the  empire  were  to  be  k'jally 
transff.'rred  on  paper  to  England,  and  then  made  over 
by  royal  proclamation  to  the  Dominion. 

The  country  had  long  been  in  the  possession  of 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  who  had  received  a  char- 
ter in  1670  from  Charles  II.,  granting  them  sovereign 
rights  over  a  large  proportion  of  the  Xorth  American 
continent.  In  the  days  of  that  gallant  monarch  our 
geographical  knowdedge  of  the  western  hemisphere 
w\as  but  small,  and  consequently  the  description  of 
the  limits  given  over  to  their  jurisdiction,  as  recorded 
in  the  charter,  was  very  vague.  It  may  be  fairly  as- 
sumed that  this  uncertainty  of  title  was  one  of  the 
chief  causes  why  the  Company  had  never  been  de- 
sirous of  having  its  claims  inquired  into  before  the 
courts  of  law. 

In  1783  a  rival  trading- company — the  "Xortli- 
AVestern" — was  started;  and  in  1812  Lord  Selkirk 


]Iu 

leu 
thr 
■We 
Lei 
till 


iirr. 


I 


THE   KEU    IIIVEK    KXTEMTIOX. 


11)0 


ion  betwucMi 
',  in  wliirli 
or  iiiiitiiitl 
3  undcfiiUMl 
1(1,  togotlicr 
ing  to  tli<' 
insferred  to 
iJida  for  tin- 
lie  arraiiLTo- 


n 


iinoiiy  to  b(.' 
r'hicli  those 

0  be  Ic'jally 
made  over 

issession  of 
ved  a  cliar- 
11  sovereign 

1  American 
Lonarch  onr 
liemisphere 
cription  of 
as  recorded 
e  fairly  as- 
one  of  the 
r  been  de- 
before  the 

e   ''Xorth- 
rd  Selkirk 


Atteniptt'il  to  f(»rni  a  colony  of  Suthcrlandsliirr  lii-li- 
lundcrs  on  the  lied  Kiver,  but  the  attempt  was  little 
lirttcr  than  a  faihn'e.  These  two  eompanies — tin* 
]Indson  Day  ami  the  Xortli-AVc'stern — liaving  eon- 
tended  with  one  another  for  the  vahiable  fur-trade  of 
tlie  country  to  their  mutual  injury,  and  until  both 
were  nearly  ruined,  united  in  the  year  ISJ-J,  bdth 
being  since  then  merged  in  one  inider  the  ancient 
title  of  th(^  Hudson   I5ay  Company. 

In  order  to  carry  on  commercial  operiitions,  it  was 
essential  to  have  a  certain  number  of  white  men  at 
each  of  their  numerous  posts  scattered  over  the  con- 
tinent from  its  western  shores  to  where  Canadian 
civilisation,  advancing  from  the  Atlantic,  was  met 
Avith.  Each  of  these  posts  soon  became  the  nucleus 
of  a  small  community.  European  women  were  scarce, 
and  connnunication  with  England  was  both  dilticult 
and  tedious ;  so  men  were  obliged  to  content  them- 
selves with  Indian  wives,  and  a  half-breed  po[»ulation 
was  the  result.  For  inland  navigation  along  the 
many  lakes  and  rivers  that  form  such  a  network  r)ver 
a  large  proportion  of  our  Xortli  American  possessions, 
there  is  no  better  man  than  the  French  Canadian 
voyageur.  A  large  number  of  them  have  always  been 
in  the  Hudson  Bay  service,  which  accounts  for  the 
fact  of  the  French  and  English  languages  being  spoken 
by  about  ecjual  numbers  on  the  banks  of  the  lied 
Iviver.  The  language  of  the  voyageur  class,  no  mat- 
ter from  wdiat  race  he   may  have  sprung,  has  long 


200 


TRAVEL,  ADVEXTUKE,   AND   SPOliT. 


been  French ;  and  the  officers  of  the  Company,  speak- 
ing both  languages,  have  always  found  it  simpler  tn 
speak  French  than  to  take  any  trouble  to  teach  their 
servants  English. 

French  Canadian  priests  and  Jesuit  missionaries 
from  France  soon  established  themselves  everywhere 
under  tlie  protection  of  the  Company,  and,  with  their 
usual  zeal,  quickly  built  up  for  their  Cliurch  a  con- 
siderable following  amongst  the  families  of  a  mixetl 
origin.  People  conversant  with  the  ways  of  priest- 
craft in  other  countries  will  easily  understand  the 
influence  they  obtained  amongst  a  rural  and  scattered 
population,  in  such  an  isolated  place  as  Eed  River. 
Although  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  officers  were 
the  rulers  dejure^  the  priests  were  so  de  facto. 

At  first  sight  it  may  appear  strange  that  this  could 
take  place  in  a  settlement  where  the  Protestants  and 
Romanists  were  about  equal  in  numbers ;  but  when 
it  is  remembered  that  the  former  consisted  of  several 
nationalities,  and  of  still  more  numerous  sects  with- 
out any  one  recognised  ruler,  and  with  many  diver- 
gent interests,  it  can  readily  be  understood  how  the 
smaller  half,  acting  and  voting  as  a  unit  imder  the 
direction  of  a  clever  wily  bishop,  backed  up  by  a 
Avell-disciplined  staff  of  obedient  priests,  maintained 
an  unquestioned  supremacy.  So  much  was  this  the 
case,  that  the  legal  rulers  were  only  too  glad  to 
govern  through  their  influence. 

Two  great  influences  were  at  work  preventing  the 


i.a| 


i'  • 


'ortT. 


THE  RED   KIVER   EXTEDITIOX. 


201 


iipaiiy,  speak- 
it  simpler  to 
0  teach  tlioii 

missionaries 
5  everywhere 
d,  witli  tlieir 
mrch  a  coii- 
of  a  mixed 
^s  of  priest- 
lerstand  the 
lid  scattered 
Ked  River, 
fficers  Avere 
acto. 

t  tliis  could 
estants  and 
;  but  when 
i  of  several 
sects  with- 
lany  diver- 
d  how  the 
under  the 
i  up  by  a 
naintained 
LS  this  the 
o  glad  to 


3nting  the 


f 


Occupation  of  these  vast  prairies.  First,  the  Hudson 
i;ay  Company;  and  secondly,  the  Koman  Catholic 
priesthood. 

To  have  opened  them  out  for  colonisation  would 
jiave  Ijcen  suicidal  to  a  Company  enjoying  the  niono- 
|)oly  of  tlie  Indian  trade.  It  would  also  have  seri- 
ously alfected  the  supply  of  fur,  as  the  nund^er  of 
vild  animals  decreases  in  a  geometrical  ratio,  whilst 
population  goes  on  increasing  only  in  an  aiitlimetical 
i)ne.  Its  governing  body  has  therefore  for  years  back 
endeavoured  in  a  quiet  way  to  keep  the  country  as 
unknown  and  as  much  to  themselves  as  possible,  and 
to  deter  emigrants  from  going  there  by  depreciating 
its  value  in  the  eyes  of  the  world  ;  so  much  so,  that 
many  believed  it  to  be  a  desert,  where  grasshoppers 
nded  in  summer,  and  an  almost  life-destroying  cold 
in  winter. 

As  for  the  Roman  Catholic  priesthood,  tliey  were 
desirous  of  gradually  building  up  there  another 
Prencli  province,  where  the  language,  religion,  and 
laws  of  Lower  Canada  might  be  perpetuated,  and 
V'hich  in  times  to  come  might,  in  conjunction  witli 
it,  be  some  counterpoise  to  the  steadily-increasing, 
find  by  them  much  dreaded,  preponderance  of  On- 
tario. They  hoped  to  mould  the  Red  River  into 
Avhat  they  would  have  described  as  a  peaceable, 
trderl}^,  and  contented  people,  but  which,  in  the 
exact  and  cold-blooded  language  of  Protestantism, 
lueant  an  ignorant  and  superstitious  peasantry,  recog- 


tr. 


202 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


iiising  only  as  law  that  -which  was  announced  froin 
their  altars ;  devoid  of  education,  except  such  a> 
their  priestly  teachers  tliouf-ht  fit  to  .i^ive  them : 
taught  only  the  patois  whicli  passes  current  theii 
for  French,  so  that  they  should  be  unable  to  read 
English  papers  ;  and  only  just  sufficiently  well  off  in 
that  fertile  land  to  enable  them  to  lead  a  lazy,  idk- 
life.  In  fine,  both  Company  and  priesthood  were  de- 
termined to  oppose  an  immigration  which  would  be 
destructive  to  the  trading  monopoly  of  the  one,  and 
to  the  unquestioned  authority  of  the  other.  Botli 
combined  in  describing  the  country  as  unlit  for  settle- 
ment ;  and  (|uite  recent^^  a  Eoman  Catholic  bishop, 
who  has  long  resided  in  the  north-west,  published  an 
interesting  work  upon  that  country,  but  full  of  start- 
ling statements  as  to  the  fearful  severity  of  its  climate, 
and  of  its  general  unsuitability  for  farming  purposes. 
He  endeavoured  as  far  as  possible  to  depreciate  its 
value  politically,  so  as  to  have  deterred  the  Govern- 
ment of  Canada  from  taking  steps  towards  opening 
out  communication  with  it. 

Canada,  a  thickly-wooded  country,  only  affords  n 
home  to  settlers  after  years  of  toil  spent  in  clearing 
the  land.  The  western  province,  now  known  as 
Ontario,  has  long  been  the  go-ahead  portion  of  British 
Xorth  America,  whilst  that  to  the  east,  now  called 
Quebec,  was  always  lethargic,  progress  being  neither 
known  nor  desired  there. 

The  iidiabitants  of  these  two  provinces  lying  sidf 


lif. 


OKT. 


THE   EED  RIVER   EXPEDITION. 


203 


ounced  froin 
ppt   such   a> 
give    theni: 
lUTeiit   theiv 
ible  to  read 
y  Avell  off  ill 
a  lazy,  idle 
ood  were  de- 
li would  l)e 
he  one,  and 
ther.      Lot]  I 
it  for  settle- 
lolic  bisho]!. 
ublished  an 
full  of  start- 
its  climate, 
ig  purposes. 
?preciate  its 
;lie  Govern- 
rds  opening 

ly  affords  a 
in  clearing 
known  as 
n  of  Britisli  : 
now  called 
ing  neither 


i  lying  side 


ly  side — not  even  divided  by  any  natural  l)Oundary, 
is  England  is  from  France — have  always  maintained 
(heir  original  national  characteristics.  Those  of 
I^Uiebec  evince  a  contentcdness  with  their  lot  in 
life,  and  a  dislike  to  change  of  all  sorts,  not  o:dy  as 
jegards  their  manners  and  customs,  but  even  their 
|)lace  of  residence  ;  M'hilst  those  of  Ontario,  descended 
ifrom  British  ancestors,  retain  that  love  for  adventure 
and  that  spirit  of  enterprise  for  which  our  countrymen 
ure  so  generally  celebrated. 

The  men  of  Ontario  have  always  suspected  the 
truth  of  the  statements  made  regarding  the  great 
prairie  country  which  every  one  knew  lay  between 
the  Eed  River  and  the  Rocky  Mountains.  For  years 
back  their  gaze  has  been  fixed  upon  that  territorj', 
longing  for  the  privilege  of  planting  it  with  grain, 
and  of  establishing  themselves  in  a  country  where 
rumour  said  that  luxuriant  crops  were  obtainable 
without  either  the  labour  of  clearing  it  from  timber 
or  the  cost  of  manuring  it. 

The  distance  from  Canada  was  so  great,  and  the 
intervening  difficulties  were  of  such  magnitude,  that 
it  was  practically  out  of  the  power  of  farmers  or  of 
the  ordinary  class  of  emigrants  to  make  a  journey 
there.  Unless,  therefore.  Government  stepped  in, 
and,  by  opening  out  roads  and  improving  the  almost 
continuous  line  of  water  communication  existing  l)e- 
tween  Lake  Superior  and  the  Lake  of  the  AVoods, 
enabled  the  workini-'  class  to  reach  Fort  Garrv  at  a 


204 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


reasonable  cost,  the  Eecl  River  country  never  coiil 
be  settled  by  British  subjects. 

A  few  disinterested  travellers,  such  as  EnglisL 
officers  on  leave,  bent  on  buffalo-hunting,  now  and 
then  penetrated  into  this  much-aspersed  land,  anil 
came  back  telling  of  its  boundless  plains  and  un- 
paralleled fertility ;  but  as  it  is  the  English  fashicm 
to  pooli-pooh  information  coming  from  such  source>;, 
their  reports  received  but  little  attention. 

The  secret  was  tolerably  well  kept  for  many  years ; 
but  at  last  oO  much  pressure  was  put  upon  the 
Canadian  Government  that  an  exploring  expedition 
was  despatched  by  it  in  1858,  with  orders  to  report 
fully  upon  the  resources  of  the  Xorth-AVest  Territory. 
The  results  of  these  explorations  were  published  the 
following  year,  and  the  people  of  Canada  learnt,  on 
official  authority,  that  it  was  fertile  beyond  the  most 
sanguine  expectations.  A  few  settlers  from  Ontario 
soon  after  established  themselves  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Fort  Garry,  and  so  gave  birth  to  a  party 
whose  policy  was  progress,  and  whose  constantly- 
repeated  demand  was — "  Open  out  communication 
between  us  and  Canada  ;  let  us  have  plenty  of  emi- 
grants :  all  we  require  is  population  and  facilities  for 
carrying  our  produce  to  a  market."  It  was  soon 
known  as  the  "  Canadian  Party " ,  and  its  feeling 
was  disseminated  throughout  the  neighbouring  pro- 
vinces through  the  columns  of  a  newspaper  estab- 


li 
PI 


of 
di 
di 
ce 
ei 
se 
sv 
fr 
tl 

V 
^^ 

a 


POET. 


THE   RED    KIVER    EXPEDITIOX. 


•205 


I  never  eoiiL; 

1  as  Englisl. 
ng,  now  and 
2d  land,  and 
ains  and  iiji- 
iglish  fasliidii 
such  sources, 
3n. 

many  years ; 
Lit  upon   tile 
g  exi^editioii 
lers  to  rej^ort 
'st  Territory, 
ublished  the 
a  learnt,  on 
nd  the  most 
rom  Ontario 
neighbour- 
to  a  party 
constantly- 
munication 
iity  of  emi- 
acilities  for 
"vvas  soon 
its  feeling 
•uring  j^ro- 
iper  estab- 


slied  under  its  auspices  at  the  village  of  AVinnipeg, 
1  the  neighbourhood  of  Fort  Garry. 
I  As  may  easily  be  understood,  this  party  of  progress 
toon  came  into  collision  "svith  those  alreadv  described 
its  bent  upon  keeping  back  the  country.  The  result 
^vas  a  very  angry  feeling  between  the  two  sections 
into  which  public  opinion  thus  became  divided.  All 
the  Canadians  who  had  settled  there,  backed  up  by 
the  press  of  Ontario,  were  on  one  side,  and  the  great 
mass  of  the  French-speaking  people  w^re  on  the  other. 
This  difierence  of  opinion  coincided  with  difierence  of 
origin,  the  parties  quickly  assumed  a  national  aspect, 
and  the  priests  endeavoured  to  give  it  a  religious  one 
lilso. 

'    The  Hudson  Bay  Company,  governed  by  a  Board 
cf  Directors  in  London  who  were   aloof  from   the 
direct  influence  of  local  feeling,  was  first  of  the  two 
divisions   comprising   the   reactionary  party   to  per- 
ceive that  the   time  had   arrived   when  they   must 
either  endeavour  to  withdraw,  with  profit  to  them- 
selves, from  their  hitherto  obstructive  policy,  or  else 
submit  to  see  their  power  to  obstruct  taken  forcibly 
from  them.     A  disposition  on  their  part  to  treat  for 
the  voluntary  surrender  of  their  undefined  and  dis- 
Iputed  rights  soon  resulted  in  the  bargain  of  1869,  by 
^  which  they  were  to  receive  the  sum  already  stated, 
land  retain  possession  of  all  their  forts  and  posts,  to- 
Igether  with  a  large  acreage  of  land  in  their  vicinity. 


206 


TKAVEL,  ADVEXTUKE,  AND  SPOKT. 


The  ^linistry  of  Canada,  backed  up  by  public 
opinion  throughout  the  country,  at  once  passed  a 
Eill  for  the  establishment  of  a  government  in  thi^ 
newly -acquired  province.  AVe  are  warned  by  n 
French  proverb,  that  the  first  step  in  all  transaction^ 
is  a  most  important  one  :  and  that  taken  by  tin. 
Dominion  Government  towards  establishing  theii 
authority  was  no  exception  to  the  rule.  Their  first 
direct  step  was  to  send  forward  surveyors  to  plot  out 
the  country  into  townships ;  and  this  was  the  actual 
circumstance  that  gave  rise  to  the  first  overt  act  ot 
rebellion  on  the  part  of  the  French  people  there. 
The  men  employed  upon  this  service,  as  well  as  their 
assistants  and  followers,  were  all  either  from  England 
or  from  Ontario.  Around  these  surveyors,  as  round 
a  centre,  were  collected  a  small  band  of  Canadians, 
who  had  followed  in  their  wake,  hoping  to  obtain 
large  grants  of  land  and  make  fortunes  when  the  ne"\v 
Government  was  established. 

The  people  of  the  country  were  thoroughly  discon- 
tented at  the  cavalier  way  in  which  they  had  been 
treated,  as  their  will  had  never  been  consulted  by 
any  of  the  three  parties  who  had  arranged  the  terms 
of  transfer.  A  feeling  of  irritation  was  abroad,  whicli 
the  bearing  of  the  surveyors  and  other  Canadians 
towards  them  served  to  increase  beyond  measure. 
]\Iany  of  the  latter  began  to  stake  out  farms  for  them- 
selves, which  they  openly  declared  they  meant  tc 
claim  as  soon  as  the  new  Governor  had  arrived. 


it 

Ih 
te 
t 
tl 

lo 

bi 

ci 

tl: 

tl 

Bi 

tl 

111 

w 

tr 

tl 

C 

^t] 

I 

t: 

t 

t 

f 


1 


poirr. 

ui>  by  publif 
nee  i^assed  a 
iment  in  tlii> 
warned  by  a 
1  transactioii> 
taken  by  tlit. 
lisliing  theii 
Tlieir  first 
I's  to  plot  out 
as  the  actual 

overt  act  of 
people   there. 

well  as  theii 
From  England 
^ors,  as  round 
)f  Canadians, 
ng  to  obtain 
vhen  the  ne^v 

ughly  discon- 
ley  had  been 
consulted  by 
ed  the  terms 
broad,  whicli    . 
;r  Canadians   | 
nd  measure.   J 
ms  for  them-   I 
iy  meant  io    f 
1  arrived.        I 


THE  KED   VdXVM  EXPEDITION. 


207 


The  Hudson  Bay  Company  officials  residing  in  the 
iprritory  were  loud-spoken  in  denouncing  the  bargain 
fntered  into  by  their  Directors  in  London  :  they  said 
|t  injured  them  materially,  without  providing  any 
Compensation  for  the  loss  tliey  were  about  to  sustain  ; 
that  tliey,  the  working-bees  of  the  hive,  were  to  re- 
ceive nothing,  wliilst  the  drones  of  stockholders  in 
England  were  to  get  all  the  honey  in  the  shape  of 
the  .£300,000. 

The  English-speaking  farmers,  although  thoroughly 
loyal,  and  anxious  for  annexation  to  Canada,  so  as  to 
be  delivered  from  what  many  called  the  "  thraldom 
of  the  Hudson  Bay  Comi^any,"  regarded  the  terms  of 
the  transfer  in  no  favourable  light.  They  thought 
they  should  have  been  consulted  ;  and  the  injudicious 
silence  of  the  Canadian  Ministry  with  reference  to 
the  form  of  government  to  be  established,  caused 
anany  divisions  amongst  this  party.  Although  they 
would  have  scorned  to  take  part  in  any  actual  resis- 
tance against  the  establishment  of  the  new  order  of 
things,  yet  they  were  by  no  means  sorry  to  see  the 
Ottawa  Ministry  in  difficulties.  They  considered 
themselves  slighted,  and  were  sulky  in  consequence. 
They  had  no  intention  of  giving  themselves  any 
trouble  to  aid  a  Government  that  had  not  only  failed 
to  consult  or  consider  their  interests,  but  had  ignored 
their  existence  altogether. 

With  the  exception,  therefore,  of  the  small  hand- 
ful of  Canadian  adventurers  already  alluded  to,  no 


1: 


208 


TKAVEL,  ADVENTUKE,  AND  SPOKT. 


1 J 


OIK.'  residing  in  tlie  settlement  in  18G9  was  pleastd 
■with  tlio  arrangement,  and  many  were  loud-spoken  in 
denouncing  it.  Where  such  active  elements  of  dis- 
content existed,  it  may  easily  be  imagined  how  simpk- 
it  was  to  fan  the  smouldering  embers  intc^  the  flanit' 
of  active  rebellion. 

The  previous  political  history  of  the  country  was 
curious,  from  the  fact  of  there  never  liaving  been  any 
active  government  whatever.  There  was  nominally 
a  Governor  and  a  Council,  in  vhom  resided  all 
sovereign  powers.  A  lawyer's  clerk  had  been  con- 
verted into  a  judge  l)y  the  Hudson  Bay  Company, 
and  consequently  there  was  an  impression  abroad,  be 
it  true  or  untrue,  that  no  one  could  look  for  impartial 
justice  being  done  in  any  case  in  which  that  corpora- 
tion was  interested.  Tliere  was  a  code  of  laws,  but 
there  was  no  police,  so  the  rulers  had  to  depend  upon 
a  few  special  constables  sworn  in  from  time  to  time 
as  required,  for  tlie  execution  of  the  law's  decree. 

Upon  several  occasions  the  law  had  been  forcibly 
resisted  with  success :  men  condemned  to  imprison- 
ment in  suits  in  which  the  Company  was  interested 
had  been  released  from  their  cells  under  the  walls 
of  Fort  Garry  by  a  crowd  of  sympathising  friends, 
who  had  assembled  for  that  purpose.  Xot  many 
years  ago  four  men  had  combined  together  and  pro- 
claimed a  republic.  One  was  named  president,  and 
two  others  appointed  the  princijDal  ministers  of  this 
liliputian  government.      Amongst   the  first  acts   of 


Oil 
f  ■ 

^M 

onj 
it 
nei 
fr<l 

8ti 

gli( 

ap 
litt 
th< 

id« 
18 

on< 
act 

re.s 
tli< 
tri 
frc 

UK 

m 
tl 


poi:t. 


THE   KED   KIVEK    EXrEDITION. 


209 


)  was  ploasci] 
)iul-s|)(>koii  in 
ncnts  of  (lis- 
d  linw  simplt' 
nto  the  flaniL' 

country  was 
ing  been  any 
IS  nominally 
resided    all 
d  been  con- 
y  Company, 
ti  abroad,  be 
for  impartiiil 
hat  corpora- 
)f  laws,  but 
epend  upon 
me  to  time 
decree, 
en  forci])ly 
imprison- 
in  terested 
the   walls 
ig  friends, 
^'^ot  many 
r  and  pro- 
.ident,  and 
rs  of  this 
it  acts   of 


lis  self-constituted  trinity  Avas  a  decree  condiMuiiing 
'  fourth  conspirator  to  deatli.  Tliis  fourth  man 
l|as  a  (Jeruian  tailor,  and  as  he  constituted  in  his 
0Avn  person  the  whole  of  the  poimlation  recognising 
H^ie  authority  of  these  xoi-discuit  rulers,  tliere  was  no 
0ne  to  carry  the  sentence  into  execution.  Whether 
it  was  owing  to  the  discredit  which  this  jiowerless- 
ness  to  enforce  their  decrees  brouglit  upon  tliem,  or 
from  the  general  loyalty  of  tlie  people  to  Jhitisli  in- 
ftitutions,  we  know  not  ;  but  this  republic  was  as 
riiortlived  as  a  butterlly,  and  its  api)earance  and  dis- 
ij)pearance  caused  as  little  excitement  and  had  as 
little  influence  upon  the  Red  Kiver  world  as  would 
the  advent  or  departure  of  such  an  insect. 

This  trifling  incident  is  merely  related  to  convey  an 
idea  of  tlie  state  of  society  which  existed  there  up  to 
18G8.  The  people  lived  in  peace  and  harmony  with 
one  another.  They  paid  no  taxes,  and  were  so  little 
accustomed  to  the  machinery  of  a  government,  or  the 
responsibilities  of  having  to  make  laws  or  administer 
tliem  themselves,  that  when  these  few  adventurers 
tried  to  impress  upon  their  minds  the  glories  resulting 
Irom  the  exercise  of  the  noble  right  of  self-govern- 
Jiient,  following  up  their  lessons  by  proclaiming  a 
^public,  the  inhabitants  of  the  Red  River  Territory 
^lerely  laughed. 

The  only  politics  which  existed  —  and  they  were 

|f  recent  growth — consisted  in  being  for  or  against 

he  Hudson  Bay  Company.      A  monopoly  must  al- 


I 


210 


TKAVEL,   ADVENTURE,   AND   SrOIlT. 


|i  . 


,ii 


'  M 


po^ 


c 


waj^s  Ije  obnoxious  to  the  innjority,  and  never  cvi. 
in  feudal  times  lias  theni  ])een  a  more  rigid  one  tlui;  ^^ 
that  established  formerly  throughout  the  great  Xovtl.  A^ 
West  l)y  that  corporate  body.       Xo  one  else  coiil    4' 
import  anything  into  the  country,  or  send  any  fiu  0t^|| 
out  of  it;   and  it  may  1x5  said  that  no  one  coul  jji. 
either   buy   or   sell   except   from   tlui    Hudson   La 
officials.     Even  at  this  moment  the   whole   of   tli 
inland   communications   are    in    its   hands,    and   ii  j||i 
banking  arrangements  can  be  made  except  througi  ^ 
its   agents.       Notwithstanding    the   heavy   expensi.  (]j^, 
entailed  by  the  conveyance  of  goods  over  the  grea:  fg^i 
distances  that  separate  the  country  from  civilisation  yf\i 
yet  it  will  always  be  to  many  a  subject  for  Avondc  firv 
how  it  was  that  the  Company  generally  was  not  ten    coi 
fold  richer.     Even  since  the  monopoly  of  trade  wa>  ^^it 
abolished,  the  Company  still  practically  received  ;,  gioi 
percentage  m  some  way  or  other  upon  every  business  foiv 
transaction  that  took  place.  -^it 

The  only  export  from  the  country  was  fur :  an  i  1 
Indian  comes  to  sell  skins ;  after  some  bargaining  he  an 
agrees  to  take  so  much  money  for  them.  He  is  paid  |hi 
in  powder,  shot,  or  other  goods,  which  are  sold  to  \(i\ 
him  at  a  great  profit,  whilst  the  purchased  articles  |u( 
are  exported  to  Europe,  and  again  sold  at  a  great 
profit.  In  this  way  a  double  advantage  was  ob- 
tained ;  and  consequently  it  is  very  strange  that  the 
affairs  of  the  Company  have  not  been  for  some  years 
back  in  as  flourishing  a  condition  as  they  might  have 


te 

lin 


5P0KT. 


THE   RED   niVER   EXPEDITION. 


211 


iiid  never  evi 
rigid  one  tlui 
10  great  Xoitl 
)ne  else  eon] 
send  any  fm 
no  one  conL 

Hudson  ]];i 
wliole  of  til 
xnds,  and  ]i 
*^cept  tlu'oiigi 
avy  ex2U'ns(. 
'ver  the  gren: 
n  eiviJisatioii 
jt  for  -vvondc 
'  was  not  ten 
of  trade  M'a,^ 
y  received  ;i 

ery  business 

was  fur:  an 
)argaining  hi: 
He  is  paid 
are  sold  to 
ased  articles 
I  at  a  great 
ige  was  ob- 
ige  that  tlie 
'  some  years 
might  have 


•11.     Tliere  is  only  one  solution  to  be  arrived  at, 
bicli  is,  tliat  it  lias  long  been   very   badly  served 

4d  administered  abroad. 

I  The  enemies  of  tlie  Company  were  numer<Mis  in 
dinada,  ami  liad  made  themselves  felt  even  within 
\lk  own  territory  of  Rupert's  Land.  Every  year 
aided  to  their  numbers.  Those  born  thi^re  said  their 
poverty  was  owing  to  the  country  Ix'ing  cut  oil"  from 
oU  outside  trade  and  emigration  by  the  direct  action 
fte  Company  took  to  keep  things  in  t^atu  quo.  All 
Gnnadians  or  others  who  penetrated  into  the  country 
and  settled  there  joined  this  discontented  party, 
which  had  assumed  such  importance  previous  to  the 
ari'angements  being  made  for  the  transfer  of  the 
country,  that  had  the  Company  refused  to  comply 
with  it  and  persisted  in  its  former  policy  of  seclu- 
sion, it  would  soon  doubtless  have  had  all  power 
forcibly  wrested  from  it  by  the  Canadian  party 
within  its  own  territories. 

Unfortunately  the  arrangement  entered  into  had 
an  air  of  purchase  about  it,  and  a  cry  resounded 
throughout  the  Xorth-West  that  its  inhabitants  were 
keing  bought  and  sold  like  so  many  cattle.  AVith 
fuch  a  text  the  most  commonplace  of  democrats 
|ould  preach  for  hours ;  and  poor  indeed  must  have 
|)een  their  clap-trap  eloquence  if  an  ignorant  and 
Impressionable  people  such  as  those  at  Tied  River 
Jiad  not  been  aroused  by  it. 
!    The   surveyors   were   at    work    all    through    the 


01  o 

^  I  mi 


TUAVKL,   ADVEXTUltK,   AND   SrOUT. 


.\\ 


>\\. 


autuuin  of  18G9,  and   in  ]H'()s<'cutin^'  ilu'ir  opovatii    Mtl 
frequently  ran  chain-lines  across  the   farms   of  m  3J,| 
whose    langua'^e    they    couM    not    speak,    and    w'v  of 
whom  they  had  no  feclin*;s  in  common.      \  \\'\n  (Jull 
soon  got  abroad  that  the  Canadian  Government  i  beii 
tended  i)ossessing  themselves  of  all  tlie  land  f<U'  ti 
imrpo8(^  of  allotting  it  among  the  host  of  emigrair  in  J 
who,  rumour  said,  wer(3  to  follow  the  estahlishmi':  "Wt 
of  the  new  order  of  things.     A  large  proportion    aotil 
farmers  could  produce  no  title-deeds  to  the  lands  tl"  am* 
claimed  ;   many  could  not   even  assert  what   is  goi  mm 
erally  recognised  as   the   outward  visible  symbol  .  mei 
possession  in  such  matters — namely,  the  fact  of  tlif;  to. 
being  fenced  in.     The  country  had  never  been  regi  com 
larly  laid  olt'  for  settlement ;   but  according  as  em  tak< 
successive  settler  occupied  land,  he  had  fol^nved  tli  thei 
example  of  those  who  had  done  so  before  him — t]i;i  ovei 
is,  he  nominally  "took  up"  100  acres,  abutting  witi  thei 
a  narrow  frontage  on  the  river,  but  fenced  in  onl.  here 
the  few  acres  nearest  the  water,  on  which  he  bull  The 
his  house,  and  which  alone  he  placed  under  cultiva  the 
tion.     In  rear  of  this  undefined  plot  of  land  extendoi      -^ 
the  prairie,  over  which,  to  a  depth  of  two  miles  witl  ^^ 
a  breadth  e(pial  to  the   river   frontage,  the  farnni  wli< 
exercised  by  custom  a  right  of  cutting  hay.     Theiv  he 
was  no  market  for  produce :  as  the  nearest  railwav  "^ 
station  was  about  600  miles  distant  in  the  Unite  il  ^^^ 
States,  the  export  of  grain  was  practically  impossible ;  ^ 
and  there  was  no  internal  demand  for  it,  as  eveiv  "^ 


SPORT. 


THE   RED   KIVEII   EXPEDITION. 


213 


]uni'  nporati, 
fiiniis  of  in, 
'ak,  jiinl  Mi 
on.  A  iv]!, 
rovoriiiiiejit  i: 
10  land  for  t! 
it  of  uini,L,Tair 

cstuWislniic; 

proportion 
tlie  lands  tli^ 

wliat  is  ,^vi 
bl(3  synibol  . 
e  fact  of  till'; 
vor  been  reyi 
n\iu<^  as  onr 
I  followed  til 
)re  him — tlur 
abutting  -witi 
snced  in  onh 
lich  lie  biiil: 

nder  cultiva 
and  extendtV 

0  miles  wit! 

1  the  farnici 
hay.  Ther. 
Eirest  railway 

the  Unit(^d 

impossible ; 

it,  as  evei'v 


Mtlcr  ^'rcw  cnon^^h  corn  for  ids  own  consumption. 
ie  consequence  was,  that  not  more  than  a  few  acres 
cac.'h  farm,  as  lias  been  already  stated,   was  ever 
tivated  or  fenced  in,  the  remainder  of  the  100  acres 
bfin.L,'  allowed  to  remain  in  its  primeval  condition. 

A  few  restless  spirits,  such  as  are  ever  to  be  found 
ia  all  countries,  saw  in  the  state  of  affairs  which 
we  have  endeavoured  to  describe  an  opportunity  for 
aotiftn.  Tlu^y  went  rouiul  in  the  autumn  of  1809 
aniongst  the  French-speaking  i")ortion  of  the  coni- 
monity,  preaching  resistance  to  the  Canadian  Govern- 
ment. I'.very  feeling  that  stirs  mankind  was  ai)pealed 
tOb  They  were  called  upon  to  be  men,  and  by  their 
courage  to  save  themselves  from  having  their  lands 
taken  from  them  and  distributed  amongst  others,  and 
their  altars  from  being  desecrated.  They  were  toM 
over  and  over  again  that  Canada  intended  to  destroy 
their  religion,  and  to  overrun  their  country  with  a 
heretical  population,  who  would  ignore  their  rights. 
Their  priesthood  encouraged  this  feeling,  and  aided 
the  movement. 

.Vt  the  head  of  this  rising  was  a  man  named  Louis 
Eiel.  He  was  born  of  French  Canadian  parents, 
who  had  emigrated  to  the  Red  River ;  and  although 
hi  had  not  a  drop  of  Indian  blood  in  his  veins,  he 
h|d  a  large  number  of  half-breed  relations  and  con- 
iS^tions ;  and  in  order  to  identify  himself  as  much 
ai|  possible  with  the  people,  he  invariably  spoke  of 
hpiself  as  a  half-breed.      He  had  been  educated  at 

1vol.  I.  p 


I 


214 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


Iv 


i:.  ^  I 


ii  Eoman  Catholic  school  in  Canada,  and  at  one  time 
it  Avas  hoped  he  would  have  entered  the  Church. 
Instead  of  doing  so,  however,  he  became  a  clerk  in  a 
shop  at  8t  Paul's,  ^linnesota,  where  he  resided  for  a 
few  yearp,  hut  "was  eventually  dismissed  for  dishonesty. 
His  prospects  being  thus  under  a  cloud,  he  returned 
to  the  neighbourhood  of  Fort  Garry,  and  lived  in  the 
greatest  poverty  with  his  mother.  So  indigent  were 
their  circumstances  that,  finding  himself  succeeding 
in  his  wJe  of  demagogue,  and  considering  it  necessary 
to  be  the  possessor  of  a  black  cloth  coat,  he  w\as 
obliged  to  sell  his  mother's  only  cow  to  procure  the 
money  required  for  that  purpose.  He  is  a  man  of 
considerable  moral  determination,  although  all  who 
know  him  say  that  he  ia  wanting  in  physical  courage. 
His  command  of  language  is  great,  and  his  power 
over  his  audience  immense.  He  speaks  English  in- 
telligibly, and  his  proclamations  denote  considerable 
talent  and  power  of  thought. 

The  first  overt  act  of  resistance  was  in  October 
1869,  when  Kiel,  followed  by  a  few  half-breeds, 
warned  a  surveying  party  to  desist  from  their  work, 
and  insisted  on  their  moving  their  camp  out  of  the 
district  Avhere  they  were  employed.  Meetings  were 
then  called  in  the  various  parishes  where  the  French 
predominated,  at  which  Riel  and  others  made  in- 
flammatory speeches.  The  people  w^ere  thoroughly 
aroused ;  and  even  the  priests,  who  generally  kept 
as  much  as  possible  in  the  background,  preached  re- 


Wi 


» 

*» 


I 


THE   RED  RIVER   EXPEDITION. 


215 


iber 

lork, 
the 
ere 

Inch 
in- 

ept 
re- 


,1 

a-; 
-.1*- 


I  >m 


sistance    to   the    Canadian    Government    from   their 
altars. 

!Mr  AViUiam  ^['Dougall  liad  heen  selected  by  the 
Dominion  ^Ministry  to  be  the  Lieutenant-Governor 
(>f  the  newly-acquired  province.  It  was  an  inju- 
dicious appointment,  as  those  who  knew  that  gentle- 
man were  aware  at  the  time.  He  had  been  for 
many  years  in  political  life,  having  been  previously 
well  known  as  an  able  newspaper  writer.  Indeed, 
like  a  large  number  of  men  who  have  held  high 
positions  both  in  Canada  and  the  United  States, 
he  may  be  said  to  have  attained  power  through  his 
connection  with  the  press.  He  was  known  to  be  an 
essentially  cold-blooded  man,  entirely  wanting  in 
that  cordiality  which  is  an  indispensable  quality 
with  those  who  have  to  lead  or  even  to  act  with 
others  in  the  direction  of  atiairs.  He  had  some  poli- 
tical supporters,  but  he  was  said  to  have  no  friends. 
There  was  nothing  genial  about  him,  and  his  manner 
was  said  at  times  to  be  so  unsympathetic  that  many 
left  his  presence  accusing  him  of  rudeness.  Wo 
shall  not  attempt  to  enter  upon  Canadian  politics — 
that  most  uninteresting  and  least  edifying  of  topics — 
in  order  to  trace  the  progress  of  events  which  led  up 
to  this  strange  appointment ;  suffice  it  to  say  that 
the  Ministry  which  then  ruled  at  Ottawa  was  a 
coalition  one,  the  Conservative  element  being,  how- 
ever, the  strongest.  The  intended  Lieutenant-Gover- 
nor was  ^linister  of  Public  Works  in  that  administra- 


«« 


216 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


tion,  having  been  brought  over  from  the  Opposition 
upon  certain  terms  "vvlien  the  coalition  was  formed. 
The  Tory  element  being  in  the  ascendant,  and  many 
changes  having  recently  occurred  in  the  ^Ministry, 
vacant  places  in  it  were  filled  up  by  the  adherents 
of  that  party,  thereby  destroying  the  proportion  or 
balance  between  the  several  parties  which  it  "svas 
alleged  by  ]\rr  JM'Dougall's  clique  had  been  agreed 
upon  when  tlie  ^Ministry  was  first  formed.  This 
gave  rise  to  dissensions,  which  the  far-sighted  policy 
adopted  regarding  the  Intercolonial  Railway  afforded 
many  opportunities  for  widening  into  such  a  breach, 
that  it  became  at  last  a  necessity  that  ^Ir  M'Dougall 
should  cease  to  be  a  ^Minister.  To  have  dismissed 
him  would  have  been  fatal,  so  it  was  necessary  to 
provide  for  him.  The  annexation  of  Rupert's  Land 
just  at  that  time  was  most  opportune,  and  to  send 
him  there  as  Lieutenant-Governor  was  an  easy  solu- 
tion of  tlic  difficulty.  What  mattered  it  whether  he 
was  fitted  for  the  post  or  not,  as  long  as  he  was  got 
rid  of  without  any  scandal !  Who  cared  whether  he 
might  or  might  not  be  agreeable  to  the  people  he  was 
to  rule  over,  and  what  could  it  matter  whether  the 
wretched  half-breed  population  were  pleased  or  not ! 

Party  politics  in  Canada  must  first  be  attended  to ; 
they  were  of  all  -  absorljing  importance  ;  and  the 
Xorth-West  and  its  new  Lieutenant-Governor  must 
settle  their  affairs  between  themselves. 

Xo   attempt  was   made   by  the   Ottawa   Govern- 


THE   KED   RIVER   EXPEDITION. 


21 


I 


iiK'iit  to  conciliate  their  newly  ac([uired  sul»jeets. 
Tlio  Governor  appointed  by  the  Hudson  liay  Cnni- 
pany,  who  was  to  exercise  authority  until  ^Iv  ^I'Dou- 
[;all  reaelu'd  Fort  Garry,  was  never  even  comnuini- 
catt'd  Avilh.  On(;  would  liave  thought  that  common 
civility,  if  not  political  tact,  would  have  caused  tlie 
Ottawa  ^linistry  to  have  informed  him  in  writing 
of  ^Ir  ^['Dougall's  appointment,  and  of  the  date  at 
M'hich  his  arrival  might  be  expected  ;  the  old  Gov- 
ernor's co-operation  and  assistance  in  establishing  the 
new  order  of  things  might,  with  advantage,  have  been 
solicited  at  the  same  time.  Xo  explanations  were 
made  as  to  what  was  to  be  the  policy  of  Canada  in 
its  dealings  with  Rupert's  Land.  In  fact,  the  people 
of  that  country  were  so  thoroughly  ignored,  they  were 
easily  led  to  believe  that  their  material  interests 
would  be  so  also,  in  favour  of  the  emigrants  that 
rumour  and  the  Canadian  surveyors  said  might 
shortly  be  expected  to  arrive  at  lied  lliver. 

A  little  judicious  management  at  first  would  have 
secured  an  amicable  settlement,  and  have  frustrated 
the  clerical  party,  which  was  desirous  of  fomenting 
resistance.  A  clear  statement  of  what  was  intended 
to  be  done,  and  a  declaration  stating,  that  the  rights 
of  property  would  be  respected ;  that  all  those  in  J>r»/a 
fi<h'  occupation  of  land  should  retain  it  without  rent, 
and  receive  a  regular  legal  title  for  it ;  that  all  reli- 
gions would  be  respected,  and  every  one  allowed  to 
worship  as  he  liked, — this  would  most  certainly  have 


218 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTUKE,  AND  SPORT. 


cut  the  ground  from  under  the  feet  of  all  the  political 
agitators  there. 

During  a  crisis  such  as  that  which  occurred  in  the 
settlement  in  1869,  when  rebellion  hangs  in  the 
balance,  every  moment  is  of  such  importance  that, 
when  once  the  scale  has  gone  down  on  the  side  of 
revolution,  days  or  months  afterwards  cannot  com- 
pensate for  the  loss. 

Men  who  to-day  shudder  at  the  idea  of  resistance 
to  the  laws,  or  at  the  word  disloyalty,  Avill  to-morrow 
take  office  under  a  revolutionary  government,  and 
exercise  their  functions  with  placidity  when  once  the 
first  overt  act  of  rebellion  has  been  committed,  and 
they  have  accustomed  their  minds  to  the  fact  of  its 
existence.  "When  we  see  around  us  the  machinery 
of  a  government  at  work  without  any  opposition, 
we  are  prone  to  accept  its  decrees  unhesitatingly,  not 
so  much  from  the  tendency  of  mankind  to  follow 
with  the  herd,  as  from  that  love  of  order,  and  that 
respect  for  those  whom  we  see  exercising  governing 
functions,  which  is  inherent  in  us. 

Mr  M'Dougall  was  told  to  go  to  Fort  Garry,  and 
that,  shortly  after  his  arrival,  the  Queen's  proclama- 
tion transferring  the  territory  to  the  Dominion  would 
be  published.  He  travelled  through  the  United 
States  to  Pembina,  which  is  a  wretched  little  village 
on  the  frontier  dividing  the  British  and  American 
territories,  but  situated  within  the  latter.  He  there 
learnt   that   a  number  of  French   half-breeds   had 


THE  EED   RIVER  EXPEDITION. 


219 


lage 


announced  their  intention  of  preventing  him  from 
entering  their  country,  and  that  a  party  of  them  had 
erected  a  barricade  on  the  road  leading  from  Pembina 
to  Fort  Garry,  which  they  intended  to  defend  by 
force  of  arms. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  describe  the  Httle  rebeUion 
any  further,  or  to  dihate  upon  the  cruelties,  the  rob- 
beries, and  the  imprisonments,  which  were  inflicted 
upon  subjects  of  her  ^lajesty  by  the  wretched  man 
Louis  Eiel,  aided  and  abetted  by  the  French  priest- 
hood. Is  not  a  description  of  all  these  violent  deeds 
written  in  numerous  Blue-books  1 

Louis  Kiel  had,  with  the  assistance  of  the  priestly 
partly,  declared  himself  "President  of  the  Republic 
of  the  Xorth-West,"  and  had  nominated  a  Ministry 
from  amongst  his  followers.  Without  attempting  to 
follow  the  doings  of  this  ridiculous  Government, 
suffice  it  to  say  that  lUel  thought  it  necessary  to 
take  a  man's  life  in  order  to  prove  that  he  was  in 
earnest,  and  to  strike  terror  into  the  English-speak- 
ing portion  of  the  community,  which,  although  not 
actively  opposed  to  him,  was  still,  he  knew,  inimical 
to  his  sway.  From  amongst  the  many  Canadians 
whom  he  kept  ironed  in  his  prison,  he  selected  as  his 
victim  a  man  named  Scott,  apparently  because  he  was 
the  most  objectionable  to  him  personally,  and  be- 
cause he  had  been  most  loud-spoken  in  his  expres- 
sions of  loyalty  to  the  Queen,  and  in  denouncing 
Eiel  and  his  gang  as  rebels.     Scott  could  not  speak 


220 


TKAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


French  ;  but  he  was  arraigned  before  a  mock  court- 
martial  composed  of  some  half-breeds,  having  a  man 
named  Lapine  as  president,  the  French  language  only 
being  used.  A  frivolous  charge  of  breach  of  paroh? 
(which  was  not  true)  was  alleged  against  him,  and 
he  was  condemned  to  be  shot.  The  execution  was 
carried  out  witliin  a  few  hours  by  some  intoxicated 
half-breeds,  commanded  by  a  United  States  citizen 
who  had  been  in  tlie  Xortliern  anny.  This  murder 
is  said  to  have  been  carried  out  in  a  cruel  and 
atrocious  manner.  Those  who  perpetrated  it  l)y 
Kiel's  orders  were  at  the  time  addressed  by  a  French 
priest  on  the  ground  where  it  was  committed,  and 
told  they  were  about  to  perform  a  righteous  act. 

Mr  Scott's  murder  caused  a  cry  of  execration  to 
resound  throughout  the  English  districts  of  Canada. 
The  press,  which  everywhere  in  the  province  of 
Ontario  had  all  through  these  affairs  called  for  active 
measures,  now  preached  up  a  crusade,  and  with  such 
effect  that  it  is  almost  beyond  doubt  that  had  the 
priestly  party  in  Canada  succeeded,  through  their 
mouthpieces,  in  preventing  an  armed  expedition 
being  sent  to  the  Eed  Eiver,  there  would  have  arisen 
in  Ontario  an  organisation  for  sending  an  armed 
body  of  emigrants  there,  sworn  to  avenge  the  foul 
murder  which  had  been  perpetrated.  ^Ir  Scott  was 
an  Orangeman,  a  volunteer,  and  an  Upper  Canadian, 
and  he  had  been  murdered  by  those  whom  the  people 
of  Ontario  regarded  as  French  Canadians. 


THE    RED    RIVER    EXPRDITIOX, 


oo  I 


lanseii 
irmed 
foul 
:t  was 
idiaii, 
)eople 


n 


Tho  event  was  prepiaiit  witli  every  element  cap- 
able of  c;'lling  forth  the  most  violent  feelings.  The 
national  rivalry  hetween  the  Knu'lish  and  Freneh 
races,  stronuer  in  Canada  than  it  has  ever  l)een  at 


d  the 


h 


d  whicli 


intense  liatretl  wnich  Urangemen, 
Churchmen,  Presbyterians,  and  sectarians  generally, 
entertain  for  Popery,  were  acted  u[»on.  Had  10,000 
soldiers  been  required,  they  might  have  been  enlistcil 
with  ease  in  Ontario.  On  the  other  hand,  amongst 
the  French  Canadians  popular  sympathy  was  entirely 
with  Picl ;  so  much  S(j,  that  when  subse(|uently  it 
was  determined  to  despatch  two  battalions  of  militia 
to  put  down  the  rebellion,  and  to  raise  them  in  th(! 
two  old  provinces  of  Canada,  one  in  each,  it  was 
found  impossible  to  obtain  more  than  80  French 
Canadian  recruits.  The  priesthood  throughout  the 
country  had  preached  against  the  expedition,  warning 
their  ilocks  not  to  take  i)art  in  an  undertaking 
planned  to  injure  their  compatriots  in  the  Xorth- 
AVest,  who  spoke  their  language,  were  descended 
from  the  same  ancestors,  and  who  belonged  to  tlie-ir 
faith.  Over  and  over  again  they  were  told  from 
the  altar  that  the  Protestants  were  anxious  to  send 
forth  this  expedition  for  the  purpose  of  overturning 
the  Catholic  Church  in  that  territory.  Kiel  was 
painted  in  the  most  glowing  colours  as  a  patriot  and 
a  hero,  struggling  and  prepared  to  fight  for  the  rights 
of  his  race  and  the  maintenance  of  the  true  faith. 
With   such   antagonistic   feelings   abroad    in   the 


i 


222 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTUIJE,  AND  SPORT. 


r 


! 


country,  the  Ministry  felt  themselves  in  a  most  diffi- 
cult position.  All  were  agreed  that  the  despatch  of 
an  armed  force  to  the  lied  Eiver  was  a  political 
necessity  if  they  wished  to  preserve  their  newly- 
bargained-for  territory ;  but  a  special  vote  of  money 
would  be  required  for  that  purpose,  and  the  French- 
speaking  members  of  Parliament  had  announced  their 
intention  of  opposing  any  such  appropriation,  if  co- 
ercive measures  were  to  be  resorted  to.  It  would 
have  been  next  to  impossi1)le  to  have  carried  the 
measure  in  the  face  of  their  opposition,  so  it  became 
necessary  to  soothe  their  alarm  by  fair  promises :  no 
coercion  was  to  be  attempted,  and  the  troops,  when 
in  Manitoba,  were  only  to  be  used  for  the  protec- 
tion of  property  and  the  maintenance  of  law  and 
order;  in  fact,  they  were  going  there  more  in  the 
capacity  of  police  than  of  soldiers. 

Mr  Eiel  had  previously  been  invited  to  send  dele- 
gates to  Ottawa  to  explain  to  the  Government  what 
the  rebel  demands  really  were.  Two  of  the  three  he 
sent  were  obnoxious  to  the  loyal  Canadians.  One, 
a  French  Canadian  priest,  was  said  to  have  taken  a 
most  active  part  on  the  rebel  side  throughout  the 
disturbances,  and  to  have  been  amongst  the  first  to 
preach  resistance.  He  was  known  to  be  a  most 
intimate  friend  of  Eiel's,  and  was  generally  believed 
to  be  one  of  the  chief  pillars  of  the  rebellion.  The 
other  was  a  young  man  of  drunken  habits  and  of  no 
education.     He  was  a  shopboy  by  trade,  and  was  what 


i 


THE   KED   KIVEU    EXPEDITION. 


223 


diffi- 
;cli  of 
litical 
ewly- 
iioney 
L'encli- 
L  their 
if  co- 
would 
d  the 
lecame 
is:  no 

when 
protec- 
w  and 
lin  the 

dele- 
what 

ree  he 
One, 

iken  a 
t  the 
rst  to 
most 
lieved 
The 
of  no 
1  what 


is  known  in  America  as  an  Irish  Yankee — a  race  that 
is  not  thought  hiijhly  of  hi  the  United  States.  Hav- 
ing nothing  to  lose  and  everytlur;'  *  )  gain,  he  had 
gladly  joined  the  rebel  movement. 

As  soon  as  it  was  known  in  Ontario  that  these  men 
were  on  their  way  to  Ottawa  hy  invitation  of  the 
Ministry,  the  whole  country  was  indignant.  ''What ! " 
it  was  said,  "  treat  directly  with  two  men  who  are 
alleged  to  have  taken  part  in  Scott's  murder  ] "  So 
violent  was  this  feeling,  that  it  was  considered  neces- 
sary to  send  a  police  magistrate  to  meet  them  in  the 
States  for  the  purpose  of  taking  tliem  to  Ottawa 
secretly,  by  a  roundabout  way,  so  as  to  avoid  passing 
through  any  of  the  large  cities.  AVhen  once  they  had 
reached  Ottawa  they  would  be  safe  from  popular 
violence,  as  the  French  element  is  strong  there. 
When  it  was  announced  that  these  men  had  aiTived, 
indignation  meetings  were  assembled  all  over  the 
western  province,  at  which  resolutions  were  made 
dei)reeating  in  the  strongest  language  their  reception 
by  the  Governor-General.  The  brother  of  the  mur- 
dered Scott  had  them  arrested  on  a  charge  of  being 
privy  to  the  crime.  They  attempted  to  assume  to 
themselves  the  importance  and  position  of  ambassa- 
dors sent  by  one  sovereign  state  to  another,  and 
pleaded  their  immunity  from  imprisonment  upon 
those  grounds.  The  French  party  was  entirely  in 
their  favour,  and  regarded  the  treatment  they  had 
met  with  as  an  outrage.     This  circumstance  compli- 


1 1 


il 


il 


i  ! 


11.4 


ad  a^  ^ 


TEAVEL,   ADVENTURE,   AND   SPORT. 


catcil  matters  greatly,  and  was  most  emharrassing  for 
the  ^linistry  ;  they  could  not  override  the  law,  and 
for  some  days  it  was  doubtful  "whether  a  "true  hill" 
might  not  he  found  against  them.  Fortunately  for 
all  parties,  the  case  fell  through  from  want  of  evi- 
dence. 

These  proceedings,  however,  added  fuel  to  the 
flames  of  popular  excitement,  and  served  to  embitter 
the  feeling  between  the  French  and  English  parties. 
After  long  conferences  between  the  delegates  and  the 
^linisters,  a  bill  was  framed  for  the  establishment  of 
a  government  at  Fort  Garry,  the  terms  of  which  were 
so  favourable  to  the  rebels  that  the  French -speak- 
ing members  withdrew  their  threatened  opposition. 
1,400,000  acres  w^ere  to  be  reserved  for  distribution 
amongst  the  half-breeds,  ostensibly  "to  extinguish 
the  Indian  claims  to  land,"  but  in  reality  for  the 
purpose  of  enriching  the  Roman  Church. 

As  previously  mentioned,  the  half-breeds  in  the 
Eed  Eiver  settlement  were  already  possessed  of  con- 
siderable farms,  a  very  small  part  of  which  only  they 
cultivated,  if  such  a  term  may  be  applied  to  the 
trifling  labour  they  bestow  upon  their  land.  Still, 
although  they  already  owned  more  land  than  they 
knew  what  to  do  with,  it  was  considered  necessary 
to  appropriate  this  vast  acreage  for  their  exclusive 
use,  as  by  doing  so  the  priests  were  satisfied,  and 
when  they  were  contented  the  whole  French  party 
was  so  also.      All  opposition  having  thus  been  re- 


I 


1 


■- 1 


THK    IIED    IIIVKII    EXPKDITIOX. 


225 


ing  for 


in  the 

of  con- 
ily  they 

to  the 

Still, 

m  they 

[ecessary 

iclusive 
[ed,  and 
[h  party 

)een  re- 


moved, the  money  reipiircd  for  tlie  Kxjiedition  was 
voIimI  in  the  House  wlien  tlie  Munitoha  Jjill  was 
introduced. 

Tlu^  only  man  of  really  statesmanlike  ahility  in 
the  Canadian  Ministry  was  the  Premier,  Sir  rloliu  A. 
^lacdonald.  Unfortunately  for  the  country,  he  was 
just  at  this  critical  moment  struck  down  hy  severe 
illness,  and  the  general  management  of  affairs  de- 
volved upon  Sir  George  Cartier,  the  leader  of  the 
French  Conservatives.  In  early  life  he  had  ]>layed  a 
minor  part  in  the  Canadian  rebellion  of  1837,  when 
he  had  actually  borne  arms  against  the  British  Crown 
— a  crime  which,  in  the  opinion  of  some  of  his  po- 
litical opponents,  his  subsequent  loyalty  had  not 
sufficed  to  wipe  out.  This  tended  to  prejudice 
many  against  him  ;  for  it  was  considered  natural 
that,  having  been  once  himself  a  rebel,  he  should 
sympathise  with  rebellion  wherever  he  met  it. 

Sir  G.  Cartier,  although  a  poor  del)ater  and  of  no 
very  great  ability,  'vvas  a  creditable  specimen  of 
Canadian  public  men.  His  greatest  enemy  dare  not 
question  his  honesty,  for  he  was  still,  comparatively 
speaking,  a  poor  man.  He  was  a  firm  friend  and 
a  good  hater.  His  ordinary  promise  was  more  to 
be  relied  upon  than  the  oath  of  many  of  his  contem- 
poraries, and  he  was  a  hard-working  public  servant. 
To  accuse  him  of  descending  at  times  into  jobbery 
and  political  trickery,  is  merely  to  accuse  him  of 
being  a   Canadian   politician.      Sir   George   Cartier 


li 


00 


26 


TRAVEL,   ADVENTUKE,  AND   SP01:T. 


liad  entertMl  Parliament  in  early  life,  and  was  soon 
recognised  as  the  leader  of  the  French  Canadian 
national  party,  a  position  which  enahled  him  at 
all  times  to  crtmmand  about  GO  votes  in  tlie  House 
of  Commons.  With  such  a  following,  it  is  easy 
to  understand  how  he  was  ahle  for  many  years  to 
maintain  himself  in  a  prominent  ^losition  in  public 
life.  Many  who  ought  to  know  assert  that  at  heart 
he  had  no  real  love  for  the  Iioman  Catholic  priest- 
hood :  such  may  perhaps  have  been  his  private 
feelings,  but  in  })ublic  he  had  to  bow  before  it.  It 
is  a  lever  of  mighty  power  in  the  province  of  Quebec, 
and  by  doing  political  jol)s  for  it,  he  secured  its 
influence.  Had  he  estranged  that  party  from  him, 
another  who  longed  for  the  opportunity  would  soon 
have  occupied  the  position  he  held  as  leader  of  the 
French  Conservatives.  Sir  John  ^lacdonald's  illness 
was  a  fortunate  circumstance  for  the  rebel  clifpie  in 
Fort  Garry,  as  it  enabled  their  sympathising  friends 
in  Canada,  through  their  influence  with  Sir  G.  Cartier, 
to  obtain  for  them  all  that  they  could  have  reasonably 
wished  for. 

The  reservation  of  loud  provided  for  in  the  Bill  was 
calculated  to  injure  tlie  true  interests  of  Manitoba 
by  retarding  emigration.  There  are  several  other 
clauses  in  the  Bill  referring  to  the  creation  of  a 
legislature  and  to  the  rights  of  franchise,  which 
tend  to  give  a  monopoly  of  political  power  to  the 
French-speaking   people    for    some    years   to   come. 


J 


THE   IIED   IIIVKU   EXPEDITION. 


ooy 


MS  soon 
anadiaii 
liim    at 
e  House 
is  easy 
years  to 
11  pulilic 
at  heart 
ic  priest- 
private 
?e  it.     It 
'  Quebec, 
cured  its 
•mu  liim, 
>ul(l  soon 
er  of  the 
s  illness 
cli(]ue  in 
friends 
Cartier, 
asonably 

Bill  was 
Manitoba 
ral  other 
ion  of  a 
which 
r  to  the 

;o   come. 


From  what  has  been  already  stated  re^j^ardin^  their 
views  and  aspirations,  it  may  ])e  inferred  that  a  love 
for  pro^Tess  is  not  included  in  their  political  belief, 
so  their  pc^litical  ascendancy  pioniised  no  good  f(.>r 
the  country. 

Althou^di  the  ^lanitoba  JJill  passed  through  both 
Houses  of  Parliament  with  but  little  opposition,  still 
the  Government  policy  as  expressed  by  it  was 
denounced  by  all  the  leading  and  all  the  inde] ten- 
dent  English  newspapers  in  Canada  as  altogether  in 
the  interests  of  the  French  rebel  party. 

The  .£300,000  was  paid  to  the  Hudson  r»ay  Com- 
pany ;  and  the  (^)ueen's  proclamation  transferring  the 
whole  Xorth  -  Western  territories  to  the  Dominion 
was  shortly  to  be  issued 

The  Imperial  Government  consented  to  co-operate 
in  the  military  expedition  to  the  Red  Eiver;  and 
the  strength  of  the  force  was,  after  a  lengthened 
telegraphic  correspondence,  fixed  at  one  weak  bat- 
talion of  regular  infantry,  two  battalions  of  Canadian 
militia,  and  a  small  detachment  of  Eoyal  Artillery- 
men and  of  Royal  Engineers  ;  about  one-fourth  of 
the  total  expense  was  to  be  defrayed  from  the  home 
treasury,  the  remainder  to  be  paid  by  the  Dominion. 
Colonel  AVolseley,  then  on  the  staff  in  Canada,  was 
appointed  to  command  it,  and  its  organisation  and 
equipment  were  rapidly  pushed  forward. 

Having  given  a  rough  sketch  of  the  political  events 
that  rendered  necessary  the  despatch  of  a  military 


228 


TItAVEL,   ADYENTUKE,   AND   SPOET. 


i: 


( 


v.\ 


;i    i 


t 


:pe(l] 


the  Eed  Ri 


r  country,  we  shall  now 
endeavour  to  give  a  general  description  of  the  region 
to  be  traversed,  and  of  the  difficulties  to  "be  overcome 
by  it,  reserving  for  another  chapter  an  account  of  its 
organisation,  and  of  the  manner  in  which  it  fulfilled 
its  mission. 

A  glance  at  the  map  of  Xorth  America  will  show 
the  reader  that  lying  west  of  the  inhabited  province? 
of  Canada  are  Lakes  Huron  and  Superior.  They  are 
united  by  the  St  Mary  River  of  about  fifty  miles  in 
length.  A  canal  has  been  constructed  on  the  Ameri- 
can side  of  the  river,  by  means  of  which  vessels  can 
avoid  the  raj^ids  of  Sault  Ste  Marie,  and  pass  easily 
from  lake  to  lake.  Taking  therefore  Toronto,  the 
chief  town  in  Ontario,  as  a  starting-point,  a  traveller 
wishing  to  reach  Fort  Garry  through  British  territory 
would  go  by  rail  9-4  miles  to  Collingwood,  and  from 
thence  by  steamer  534  miles  to  Thunder  Bay,  via  the 
St  ^lary  Eiver  Canal.  The  waters  of  Lake  Superior 
and  its  tributaries  flow  into  the  Gulf  of  St  Lawrence, 
whilst  those  of  Lake  "Winnipeg  empty  themselves 
into  Hudson  Bay.  These  two  water-systems  are 
separated  by  a  line  of  rugged  hills,  which  approach  to 
within  about  80  miles  of  Thunder  Bay,  the  lowest 
l)ass  over  them  in  that  locality  being  about  839  feet 
above  Lake  Superior. 

Some  years  ago  a  route  had  been  explored  from 
Thunder  Bay  to  Fort  Garry  ;  and  a  scheme  was  laid 
before  the  Canadian  Parliament  for  improving  it,  by 


I 


THE   IIED   KIVER  EXPEDITION. 


229 


all  now 
3  region 
vercome 
it  of  its 
fumiled 

ill  show 
Tovince? 
riiey  are 
miles  in 
3  Anieri- 
jsels  can 
ss  easily 
•nto,  the 
traveller 
territory 
nd  from 
via  the 
Superior 

iwrence, 

m  selves 
ems    are 

roach  to 
lowest 

539  feet 

ed  from 
,vas  laid 
g  it,  by 


-f 


'n 

:;:« 


the  construction  of  canals,  dams,  and  short  roads,  for 
facilitating  the  navigation  of  the  lakes  and  rivers  that 
lay  along  it,  and  for  establishing  land  communications 
between  them.  The  first  link  in  the  chain  was  to  be 
a  road  of  about  29  miles — from  Tliunder  Bay  to  Dog 
Lake — by  means  of  which  the  dilficult  navigation  of 
the  Kaministiquia  liiver  was  to  be  avoided. 

Little  attention  was,  however,  paid  to  the  subject 
until  1868,  when  the  road  was  begun.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year  a  better  pass  over  the  hills  than  that  by 
Dog  Lake  was  discovered,  necessitating,  however,  a 
lengthening  of  the  road  from  Thunder  Bay  to  about 
48  miles.  As  the  word  "  portage  "  ^yill  frequently 
be  met  with  in  all  narratives  of  Xorth  American 
travel,  the  reader  shoidd  remember  that  it  means 
a  break  in  a  chain  of  water  communication,  over 
which  canoes  and  stores  have  to  be  carried  on  the 
men's  backs. 

The  new"  route  "svas  therefore  48  miles  by  road 
through  the  forest  to  Shebandowan  Lake,  and  from 
thence  about  310  miles  by  rivers  and  lakes  (''vith 
about  17  portages),  to  the  Lake  of  the  Woods. 
Some  of  these  portages  were  more  than  a  mile  in 
length ;  and  when  it  is  remembered  that  all  the  boats 
and  stores,  c^'c.  &c.,  required  for  the  Expedition,  had 
to  be  carried  by  the  soldiers  over  these  breaks  in  the 
navigation,  an  idea  can  be  formed  of  the  physical 
labour  which  such  an  operation  would  entail.  From 
the  Lake  of  the  Woods  to  Fort  Garry  was  about  100 

VOL.    I.  Q 


i  15 
If  i! 


Kit  ii 


i 


1 1 
1  i 


!  I 


230 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


miles  in  a  straight  line  by  land,  but  there  was  only  a 
road  made  Tor  about  60  miles  of  that  distance,  the 
unmade  portion  being  laid  out  over  most  difficult 
swamps.  If,  therefore,  the  troops  could  not  advance 
by  that  route,  as  was  subsequently  found  to  be  the 
case,  the  only  other  way  of  reaching  ^Manitoba  was 
via  the  AVinnipeg  liiver,  the  navigation  of  which 
was  known  to  be  so  difficult  and  dangerous  that 
none  but  experienced  guides  ever  attempt  it.  There 
were  about  30  portages  to  be  got  over  in  the  160 
miles  extra  thus  added  to  the  total  length  of  the 
distance  to  be  traversed. 

In  1869  about  twenty  miles  of  the  Thunder  B^ 
road  had  been  constructed ;  during  the  winter  of 
1869-70  bridges  were  constructed  over  the  two 
largest  rivers  which  crossed  the  line  of  road,  and 
in  the  following  spring  the  road  was  pushed  on  still 
farther  some  six  or  seven  miles. 

"When  early  in  1870  arrangements  were  being 
made  for  the  despatch  of  the  Expedition,  the  Cana- 
dian Ministers  impressed  upon  the  military  authori- 
ties responsible  for  its  success  that,  by  the  time  the 
troops  had  been  collected  together  on  the  shores  of 
Thunder  Bay,  the  road  from  thence  to  Shebandowan 
would  be  fit  for  traffic,  and  that  good  roads  would 
have  been  constructed  over  all  the  portages  by  the 
Public  Works  Department. 

The  country  lying  between  Lake  Superior  and 
Bed  Eiver  was  known  to  be  a  wilderness  of  poor 


f 


THE   RED   PJVEll   EXPEDITION. 


231 


'as  only  a 
;ance,  the 
b  difficult 
i  advance 
:o  be  the 
itoba  was 
of  which 
rous  that 
t.  There 
I  the  160 
bh  of  the 

ndei  Bi^ 
winter  of 

the   two 
road,  and 

d  on  still 

[•e  being 
he  Cana- 
authori- 
time  the 
shores  of 
Dandowan 
ds  would 
s  by  the 

jrior   and 
of  poor 


ir 


timber,  lakes,  rivers,  and  rocks,  and  to  be  uniu- 
liabited  except  by  wandering  tribes  of  Indians.  The 
waters,  it  was  said,  aboundiBd  in  fish,  but  the  woods 
were  almost  destitute  of  game. 

The  Indians  are  the  Chippewahs,  a  tribe  that 
occupies  the  islands  in  Lakes  Huron  and  Superior, 
and  is  scattered  along  their  shores.  Tliey  are  essen- 
tially wood  Indians,  and  venture  but  seldom  on  to 
tlie  plains,  being  in  mortal  dread  of  their  hereditary 
enemies  the  Sioux — the  most  warlike  tribe  now  in 
North  ^Vmerica.  As  long  as  the  rivers  are  free  of 
ice  these  Chippewahs  almost  live  in  their  canoes, 
roving  about  in  the  localities  where  hsh  is  most 
plentiful.  Their  canoes  are  small,  and  so  light  that 
a  woman  can  easily  carry  one  over  the  longest  por- 
tage. On  the  shores  of  the  great  lakes,  where  these 
Indians  have  long  been  in  contact  with  the  white 
man,  many  of  them  are  Christians  ;  but  those  in  the 
interior  are  still  heathens,  and  will  not  submit  to  hav- 
ing missionaries  settled  amongst  them.  In  summer 
they  get  blueberries,  but  their  chief  article  of  food  is 
iv")h,  although,  here  and  there  on  fertile  spots,  they 
L''  nv  a  few  potatoes  and  a  little  Indian  corn.  They 
arc  an  extremely  dirty  race :  the  men  are  very  lazy, 
and  cannot  be  depended  upon  to  continue  at  any 
work  they  may  be  employed  upon,  although  they 
are  said  to  be  truthful  and  honest.  They  are  poly- 
gamists,  and  the  morality  of  their  women  is  not  of  a 
high  order.     They  are  very  improvident,  and  cannot 


ii 


232 


:ii" 


i:  &  ! 


h    I 

^  i 


(  I 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


be  induced  to  lay  by  provisions  in  case  of  want,  so 
that  a  winter  seldom  passes  that  some  do  not  die 
from  starvation.  As  they  are  all  armed  and  capable 
of  great  endurance,  and  as  the  country  generally  is  a 
network  of  lakes,  where  they  can  go  in  any  direction 
for  hundreds  of  miles  in  their  light  canoes,  they 
might  cause  endless  trouble  and  great  loss  to  any 
military  force  seeking  to  push  its  way  through  tlie 
country  without  their  permission. 

They  expect  to  be  well  paid  by  travellers  in  pres- 
ents of  I  'o^isions ;  so  their  presence  along  the  line  of 
route  addb.  .  the  difficulties  to  be  overcome,  as  all 
such  presents  would  have  to  be  carried  by  the  troops, 
and  every  pound  of  extra  weight  was  a  serious  matter. 

For  the  conveyance  of  the  provisions  and  stores 
between  Thunder  Bay  and  Shebandowan,  a  con- 
siderable transport  corps  would  be  required  —  all 
the  material  for  which  would  have  to  be  sent  there 
in  steamers,  as  also  the  forage  required  for  the 
animals,  for  neither  hay  nor  grass  was  to  be  had 
on  the  spot. 

In  fine,  to  get  a  military  force  to  Red  River,  it 
was  necessary  to  send  it  complete  with  all  warlike 
appliances,  and  with  at  least  two  months'  provisions, 
through  a  wilderness  for  a  distance  of  above  600 
miles,  where  no  supplies  of  any  description  were 
obtainable.  It  was  no  wonder,  therefore,  that  our 
Government  paused  and  considered  well  before  they 
committed  any  of  her  Majesty's  troops  to  an  opera- 


r. 


THE   RED   IIIVER   EXPEDITION. 


233 


i  want,  so 
lo  not  die 
ad  capable 
lerally  is  a 
y  direction 
noes,  they 
3SS  to  any 
irough  tlie 

rs  in  pres- 
the  line  of 
3ome,  as  all 
the  troops, 
LOUS  matter, 
and  stores 
an,    a   con- 
uired  —  all 
sent  there 
d  for  the 
to  "be  had 

|d  River,  it 

all  warlike 

provisions, 

above  600 

Iption  were 

that  our 

[before  they 

an  opera- 


tion beset  with  such  difficulties,  and  where  any 
serious  mistakes  on  the  part  of  those  who  conducted 
it  would  most  probably  have  led  to  disastrous  results. 


11. 


The  force  consisted  of  the  1st  Battalion  GOthEifles, 
two  battalions  of  Canadian  Militia,  a  detachment  of 
Itoyal  Engineers,  and  a  detachment  of  Royal  Artil- 
lery, with  four  7-pounder  guns. 

Xavigation  opens  usually  on  Lake  Superior  about 
the  8th  or  10th  of  May ;  and  it  was  essential  that  the 
troops  for  the  Red  River  Expedition  should  rendez- 
vous at  the  earliest  possible  date  in  Thunder  Bay,  on 
the  western  shores  of  that  lake. 

As  described  in  the  previous  chapter,  all  ships  sail- 
ing from  Collingwood  for  that  place  mast  pass  through 
the  canal  at  the  Saidt  Ste  Marie,  which  runs  exclu- 
sively through  United  States  territory.  To  send  sol- 
diers through  that  canal  had  never  been  contemplated. 
They  were  to  be  landed  on  our  side  of  the  Ste  Marie 
River,  below  the  rapids,  to  march  up  the  Canadian 
bank  about  three  miles,  and  then  embark  again  in  the 
same  steamers  in  which  they  had  sailed  from  Colling- 
wood, and  which  in  the  mean  time  were  to  have 
gone  round  through  the  canal.  During  the  war  be- 
tween the  North  and  South,  we  had  never  made  any 
remonstrances   when   the   "Washington   Government 


IT" 


234 


TKAVKL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


)^  i 


Iff    I 


li  ' 


III 


sent  warlike  material  up  the  St  Lawrence  through 
our  canals  into  the  lakes ;  in  fact  they  had  once  sent 
a  gunboat  by  tliat  route.  It  was  hoped  that  similar 
facility  would  be  allowed  to  us,  and  that  as  long  as 
no  armed  men  violated  their  territory,  no  difficulty 
would  be  raised  to  our  sending  stores  of  all  descri})- 
tions  through  the  8te  Marie  Canal.  It  was,  howeyer, 
thought  adyisal)le  to  send  a  steamer,  laden  only  with 
a  purely  mercantile  cargo,  through  the  canal,  as  soon 
as  it  was  open  for  traffic.  One  of  the  steamers  that 
run  every  summer  between  Collingwood  and  Thunder 
Bay  was  selected  for  the  purpose,  and,  when  once  on 
Lake  Superior,  it  was  intended  to  keep  her  there 
until  it  was  officially  ascertained  whether  the  Ameri- 
cans meant  to  be  obstructive  or  not.  Having  even 
one  steamer  on  that  lake  would  render  us  indepen- 
dent, as  she  could  be  kept  constantly  running  across, 
taking  men,  horses,  stores,  &c.,  <fec.,  from  the  Sault, 
to  which  place  they  could  be  brought  by  other  vessels 
from  Collingwood,  without  any  possible  violation  of 
American  territory.  This  was  carried  out  success- 
fully. The  steamer  was  allowed  to  pass  through 
the  canal,  the  L^nited  States  officials  there  being 
rather  taken  by  surprise,  and  having  no  instructions 
on  the  point;  the  next  steamer  which  attempted 
to  pass  about  five  days  afterwards  was  stopped, 
although  she  had  no  warlike  material  on  board ; 
and  the  American  authorities  stated  that  no  more 
British  ships,  no  matter  what  their  cargo  might  be. 


THE    RED   KIVEK    EXPEDITION. 


235 


!  through 
once  sent 
\t  similar 
as  long  as 
difficuhv 
1  descrip- 
however, 
only  with 
il,  as  soon 
imers  that 
I  Thunder 
n  once  on 
her  there 
he  Ameri- 
ving  even 
indepen- 
mg  across, 
the  Sault, 
ler  vessels 
olation  of 
t  success- 
s  through 
ere   being 
Lstructions 
attempted 
stopped, 
>n  board ; 
no  more 
might  be, 


•u 

■^ 


I 
ft 


should  for  the  present  be  alLnved  to  pass  into  Lake 
Superior. 

This  obstructive  policy  on  the  part  of  tlie  ^linis- 
ters  at  Washington  did  not,  however,  prevent  the 
existence  of  very  cordial  relations  between  the  local 
government  authorities  on  both  sides.  "We  always 
felt  that  as  a  last  resource  we  coulil  buy  or  hire 
steamers  belonging  to  United  States  citizens  on  Lake 
Superior  for  use  there. 

It  was  said  that  Eiel,  or  at  least  some  of  his  gang, 
liad  been  coquetting  with  the  American  authorities 
upon  the  subject  of  annexation,  and  the  press  through- 
out the  AVestern  States  of  America  openly  declared  a 
desire  to  hinder  the  British  troops  from  getting  to 
Fort  Garry. 

As  it  was  thought  that  the  single  steamer  which, 
as  already  described,  we  had  succeeded  in  placing 
upon  Lake  Superior  might  not  be  sufficient  for  our 
own  requirements,  an  American  propeller  was  hired 
at  Sarnia,  and  sent  up  empty  to  Lake  Sujierior 
through  the  canal,  her  master  swearing  to  the 
United  States  authorities  at  the  Sault  that  he  had 
not  been  hired  by  the  Canadian  Government,  and 
that  he  had  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  the  Eed 
liiver  Expedition.  This  declaration  was  entirely 
spontaneous  on  his  part,  and  not  the  result  of  any 
instructions  received  from  us.  "When  he  had  passed 
through  the  canal,  and  was  seen  to  steer  over  and 
anchor  near  our  shore,  the  canal  officials  realised  how 


V 


1;  -i! 


H 


236 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT, 


() 


they  had  hecn  taken  in  l)y  one  of  their  own  citizens. 
A  protest  having  by  this  time  been  sent  to  tht^ 
President  by  the  Governor-General  of  the  Dominion, 
all  restrictions  upon  British  trading-vessels  having  n 
warlike  material  on  board  were  withdrawn. 

This  affair  of  the  canal  had  the  effect  of  retard- 
ing for  some  time  the  departure  of  the  Expedition, 
but  it  was  not  the  only  cause  of  delay.  As  this  was 
the  first  military  expedition  ever  undertaken  by 
the  Government  of  Canada,  excuses  can  easily  be 
made  for  the  ignorance  displayed  by  its  Ministers 
upon  all  points  connected  with  army  matters,  or  the 
requirements  of  troops  in  the  field.  They  cannot, 
however,  be  so  easily  pardoned  for  having  failed  to 
recognise  their  ignorance,  and  for  having  neglected  to 
avail  themselves  of  the  military  talents  of  the  able 
soldier,  General  the  Hon.  James  Lindsay,  who  had 
been  sent  out  from  England  especially  for  the  oc- 
casion. That  officer  was  most  anxious  to  relieve 
them  of  all  responsibility  regarding  the  organisa- 
tion, equipment,  and  despatch  of  the  expeditionary 
force  ;  but  such  an  arrangement  did  not  suit  their 
political  ends.  A  large  outlay  of  money  was  to 
be  made,  and  they  wished  to  spend  it  as  much  as 
possible  amongst  their  political  supporters.  When 
therefore  the  General,  with  the  thoroughness  and 
energy  for  which  he  was  celebrated,  went  to  Colling- 
wood  on  the  5th  of  May,  and  made  all  the  neces- 
sary arrangements  for  the  despatch  of  the  troops  by 


THE   VED   rJVER   EXPEDITIOX. 


237 


1  citizens, 
it  to  the 
)ominion, 
having  n(» 

of  retard - 
xpeclition, 
s  this  was 
'taken    by 
easily  he 
Ministers 
ers,  or  the 
ey  cannot, 
y  failed  to 
eglected  to 
•f  the  able 
who  had 
'or  the  oc- 
to  relieve 
organisa- 
^editionary 
suit  their 
ey  was  to 
much  as 
rs.     When 
hness   and 
to  Colling- 
the  neces- 
troops  by 


steamer  from  thence,  and  telegraphed  for  permissiiju 
t(t  close  the  bargains,  he  wa>^  told  l)y  the  Ottawa 
(Government  to  do  nothing  in  tlie  matter,  as  all  sueh 
arrangements  would  be  made  by  their  own  agents. 
The  result  was,  that  instead  of  starting  about  the 
end  of  the  first  week  in  May,  the  first  detachment 
of  the  expeditionary  force  did  not  leave  Collingwood 
for  Thunder  Bay  until  the  21st  of  that  month. 

The  steamers  used  on  these  great  Canadian  lakes 
are  a  sort  of  cross  between  the  ocean-going  and  the 
ordinary  iVmerican  river-steamboats.  They  have  their 
state-rooms  and  their  bars,  so  that  in  calm  weather 
one  can  enjoy  all  the  luxuries  that  are  so  dear  to  our 
Transatlantic  cousins  ;  whilst  their  hulls  are  strongly 
built,  and  capable  of  enduring  the  heavy  weather 
so  often  encountered  on  these  inland  seas.  The 
scenery  has  been  so  frequently  described,  that  we 
make  no  apology  for  landing  the  reader  without 
more  ado,  together  with  the  expeditionary  force,  on 
the  western  shore  of  Thunder  Bay,  about  four  miles 
north-west  of  where  the  Kaministi'juia  Biver  flows 
into  Lake  Superior,  the  place  being  now  known  as 
Prince  Arthur's  Landing.  There  was  but  a  small 
clearance  in  the  woods  when  we  landed,  where  a  few 
wooden  shanties  had  been  erected,  and  :;11  around 
the  prospect  was  extremely  desolate.  One  of  those 
dreadful  fires  which  occasional]  v  sween  over  whole 
districts  in  Canada,  destroying  houses,  crops,  cattle, 
and  sometimes  many  human  lives,  had  raged  over  the 


i 


I 


■nfrmr 


:|    ! 


ii 


!  >: 


M' 


h 


iiii 


238 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTUKE,  AND  SPOUT. 


country  between  the  landing  and  Shebandowan  Lake, 
destroying  small  bridges,  culverts,  and  cribwork  on 
the  road  already  partly  made  between  those  two  points. 
Xo  lives  had  been  lost,  and  the  two  largo  bridge^ 
which  had  been  erected  during  the  winter,  and  most  of 
the  public  property,  had  been  saved  by  the  exertions 
of  the  workmen.  The  forest,  which  came  down  to 
the  water's  edge  all  round  the  bay,  presented  a  pitiful 
sight.  Nature  never  wears  a  more  sombre  appearance 
than  when  the  fiery  element  has  swept  over  a  forest, 
burning  every  leaf,  every  small  branch,  and  every 
blade  of  grass,  leaving  nothing  but  the  tall  dismally 
blackened  trunks  and  burnt-up  rocks  around  them. 

Such  was  the  first  impression  upon  landing :  it 
had  a  depressing  effect  on  our  spirits,  for  go  where 
we  might,  the  scene  was  one  of  funereal  mourning, 
whilst  here  and  there  the  peaty  soil  still  smoked 
heavily,  showing  that  although  no  fire  vas  visible 
on  the  surface,  the  elements  of  destruction  still 
smouldered  beneath  it.  During  our  subsequent  stay 
at  Prince  Arthur's  Landing,  we  had  more  than  one 
opportunity  of  witnessing  great  fires  in  the  woods ; 
and  the  imposing  grandeur  of  such  scenes  may  be 
imagined,  but  words  cannot  describe  them.  To  be 
surrounded  by  a  forest,  and  to  hear  the  roaring, 
crashing,  crackling  sounds  of  a  raging  fire  borne  by 
a  high  wind  in  your  direction,  is,  we  feel  sure,  the 
most  appalling  of  all  human  sensations.  The  smallest 
and  most  despised  insect  seems  then  your  superior  as 


r. 


THE   KED   IlIVEU   EXPEDITIOX. 


239 


van  Lakf, 
bwork  on 
Nvo  points. 
[G  bridge>; 
id  most  of 
exertions 
)  down  to 
d  a  pitiful 
ppearance 
V  a  forest, 
md  every 
I  dismally 
d  them, 
aiding :  it 
go  where 
mourning, 
il  smoked 
as  visible 
:tion   still 
[uent  stay 
than  one 
le  woods ; 
may  be 
To  be 
roaring, 
|borne  by 
sure,  the 
smallest 
iperior  as 


it  tlii's  aw;iy  out  of  harm's  n-ach  with  what  sounds  at 
tlio  time  like  a  chirp  of  mocking  disdain  and  pity  for 
your  earth-bound  impotence.  Your  only  hope  of 
safety  is  either  a  change  of  wind,  or  being  able  to 
reach  a  swamp,  a  lake,  or  a  largo  river,  l»efore  your 
swift  and  relentless  pursuer  overtakes  you. 

Any  one  who  has  ever  witnessed  the  landing  of 
an  army  at  a  point  which  is  to  become  the  base  of 
further  operations,  will  easily  understand  how  little 
time  was  left  for  either  mournful  or  poetical  reflec- 
tions upon  the  manner  in  which  such  a  fair  spot  had 
been  converted  into  a  dismal  wilderness.  Work, 
work,  work,  from  daylight  until  dark,  and  often  even 
until  late  at  night,  getting  stores,  horses,  waggons, 
(fcc,  i^'c,  ashore,  and  conveying  them  from  the  beach 
to  the  several  depots  appointed  for  their  reception. 
Road-making  and  opening  out  comviunications  be- 
tween the  camps,  Avhich  the  nature  of  the  gromid 
rendered  it  impossible  to  have  in  one  j^h^ce,  gave 
employment  to  a  large  number  daily.  It  was  decided 
to  establish  a  large  depot  of  supplies  and  ammunition 
at  Prince  Arthur's  Landing,  which  we  could  draw 
upon  in  case  of  need,  or  upon  which  we  could  fall  back 
in  the  event  of  any  untoward  disaster ;  a  hospital 
was  equipped  for  the  reception  of  the  wounded  if 
there  should  be  any,  and  to  which  all  who  fell  sick 
during  the  advance  were  to  be  sent  back.  As  the 
Fenians  had  declared  their  intention  of  fitting  out 
an  armed  vessel  on  Lake  Superior  for  the  purpose  of 


• ! 


r"»- 


240 


TliAVEL,   ADVENTUKE,   AND   SPOHT. 


\^ 


II I 


i^' 


'i  ,1 


( i 


^i 


attacking  our  .store-ships  whilst  en  route,  and  of  fal- 
ling upon  our  depots  whrii  left  unguarded  hy  tlu) 
advance  of  tlie  Expedition,  it  was  considered  neces- 
sary to  construct  a  redoubt  for  their  protection.  This 
entailed  considerable  extra  labour  u[>on  the  soldiers  : 
but  notwithstanding  the  frequent  rains,  the  work 
went  on  merrily,  so  that  when  the  force  left  Thunder 
Bay,  the  rear  with  its  stores  was  perfectly  secure 
from  any  attack  that  could  possibly  be  brought 
against  it  by  this  Hibernian  brotherhood.  A  com- 
pany of  militia  was  left  behind,  with  two  guns,  as  a 
garrison  for  the  redoubt.  Of  all  known  parts  of  the 
world  it  may  bo  truthfully  stated  that  the  Thunder 
Bay  region  is  the  most  subject  to  violent  thunder- 
storms— whether  owing  to  metallurgic  influences  or 
to  geographical  position  we  do  not  know\  ^' ny 
officers  who  had  been  "  all  over  the  world  "  adi  d 
they  had  never  heard  such  appalling  claps  of  thunder 
before.  On  some  occasions  trees  were  blown  down, 
on  others  they  were  split  into  shreds.  At  times, 
especially  at  night,  the  noise  was  such  that  the 
ground  seemed  to  shake,  and  it  sounded  so  close  that 
one  expected  to  see  the  tent-pole  riven  in  two.  Xow 
and  then  these  storms  were  accompanied  by  rain  of 
quite  a  tropical  character,  after  which  the  numerous 
streams  became  so  swollen  that  bridges  were  swept 
away,  and  long  portions  of  the  road,  which  had  been 
constructed  with  infinite  toil,  were  completely  de- 
stroyed.    Every  such  misfortune  retarded  progress. 


THE  i;i:i)  kiveu  KxrEDiTiox. 


241 


id  of  flll- 
l  by  the 
ed  neet's- 
011.    This 
soldiers  : 
the  worl; 
,  Thundt'i' 
:ly  secure 
!   l)rought 
A  com- 
guns,  as  a 
irts  of  the 
;  Thunder 
i  thunder- 
luences  or 

adi        d 
)f  thunder 
wn  down, 
At  times, 
that   the 
close  that 
l\vo.    Xow 
by  rain  of 
numerous 
ere  swept 
had  been 
letely  de- 
progress. 


Tilt'  Hudson  r.ay  nfHcers  best  acquainted  with  tlie 
ciiuntry,  reported  tliat  we  could  not  calculate  up<.»n 
beiuLr  able  to  get  throu.Lrh  the  liigher  region  over 
which  the  route  lav  after  the  end  of  Hepteuibcr. 
I'^'ery  day  was  therefore  of  consequence  ;  for  al- 
though it  was  intended  to  leave  the  militia  regi- 
ments at  Fort  ("Jarry  for  the  winter,  instructions  havl 
been  received  from  the  home  authorities  that  the 
regular  troops  should  be  brought  back  from  the  Ked 
1  liver  l)efi)re  the  winter  set  in,  if  it  was  possible  to  do 
so.  Tins  was  not  the  only  incentive  to  haste  ;  for 
every  mail  from  the  north-west  brought  urgent  aj)- 
peals  from  its  inhabitants,  praying  for  the  earliest 
possible  arrival  of  the  force  amongst  them.  Alarm, 
and  a  dread  of  some  unknown  evil,  seemed  to  have 
possessed  their  minds ;  men  had  begun  to  suspect 
one  another,  and  no  one  knew  to  whom  to  look  for 
either  comfort  or  safety :  all  eyes  and  thoughts  were 
bent  upon  the  expeditionary  force  as  the  sole  chance 
of  deliverance  from  the  bondage,  both  of  mind  and 
br>dy,  to  which  every  loyal  man  was  there  subjected. 

xVs  already  stated,  the  Ottawa  authorities  had 
announced  that  the  road  from  Thunder  Bay  to  She- 
Tjandowan  Lake  would  be  fit  for  traffic  before  the 
end  of  ^fay ;  whereas  by  that  date  not  more  than 
thirty  miles  of  it  were  finished,  and  many  miles 
were  still  uncut  through  the  primeval  forest.  A 
rumour  got  abroad  amongst  the  regular  troops  that 
the  Canadian  authorities  were  not  very  anxious  to 


'  i 


'tauSaaa 


I 


1         i 


t 
f 
[ 


r  1  I 


I 


(«  ; 


pi! 

i'l  Hi 

'I! 


lit 


242 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


hasten  the  operation,  lest  by  so  doing  they  might 
make  it  possible  for  the  regulars  to  get  back  before 
the  winter  set  in  ;  and  every  one  knew  that  the 
Dominion  ^linistry  were  most  anxious  that  they 
should  be  kept  at  Fort  Garry  for  at  least  a  year. 

The  construction  of  this  road  was  under  the  super- 
intendence of  the  Public  AVorks  Department,  the 
gentleman  representing  which  in  the  Ministry  was  a 
French  Canadian,  and  known  to  be  heart  and  soul 
with  tlie  priestly  party  in  Quebec,  and  therefore 
favourably  inclined  to  Kiel.  ^len  of  a  suspicious 
turn  of  mind  began  to  say  that  the  fact  of  there  being 
no  road  ready  for  our  advance  was  part  and  parcel  of 
a  political  scheme  whereby  the  departure  of  the  Ex- 
pedition might  be  stopped  altogether.  As  the  pro- 
mised road  was  not  likely  to  be  ready  in  time,  a 
river-route  to  Shebandowan  Lake  was  sought  out  and 
utilised  for  the  conveyance  of  the  boats,  &c.,  ^c, 

A  large-sized  river  flows  out  of  that  lake,  and 
being  joined  by  two  others  of  about  equal  magnitude, 
empties  itself  into  Thunder  Bay  :  it  is  known  for  the 
greater  -part  of  its  course  as  the  Kaministiquia  Kiver. 
The  difference  of  level  between  Shebandowan  Lake 
and  Thunder  Bay  is  more  than  800  feet,  and  in  de- 
scending from  that  great  height  the  water  passes  over 
some  very  line  falls,  one  of  which  is  about  120  feet 
high,  being  one  of  the  most  picturesque  spots  in 
British  Xorth  America. 

The  ofiicials  of  the  Public  "Works  Department  who 


m 


THE   RED   RIVER   EXPEDITION. 


243 


111 


ey  might 
zk  iDefore 
that  the 
hat   they 
)  a  year, 
the  siiper- 
nent,   the 
stry  "svas  a 
and  soul 
therefore 
suspicious 
liere  being 
I  parcel  of 
)f  the  Ex- 
.s  the  pro- 
in  time,  a 
lit  out  and 
''      Sec. 
lake,   and 
nagnitude, 
m\  for  the 
uia  liiver. 
.wan  Lake 
land  in  de- 
asses  over 
120  feet 
spots  in 

bment  who 


liad  been  employed  for  several  years  exploring,  sur- 
veying, and  road -making  in  that  district,  had  im- 
pressed upon  the  military  autliorities,  when  the  plan 
of  operations  for  the  Expedition  was  being  decided 
upon,  that  this  river  could  not  be  made  use  of  owing 
to  tlie  dangerous  nature  of  its  rapids  and  the  magni- 
tude of  its  falls.  However,  when  it  was  found  that 
the  road  could  not  possibly  be  ready  in  time,  an  ex- 
ploring party  of  one  company,  under  Captain  Young, 
GOth  liifles,  was  sent  up  it  in  boats  to  ascertain  the 
l)racticability  of  using  it  for  the  conveyance  of  boats 
and  stores.  The  weather  was  most  unpropitious ;  it 
poured  continuously  :  the  men  were  never  dry,  hav- 
ing constantly  to  work  up  to  their  waists  in  water ; 
the  labour  was  excessive,  Ijut  the  perseverance  of  the 
above-mentioned  officer,  capa' le  of  overcoming  any 
difficulties,  was  duly  rewarded.  Tliis  discovery  was 
a  happy  event,  as  it  rendered  us  independent  of  the 
road. 

As  numerous  portages  have  to  be  got  over  before 
we  land  the  reader  in  the  province  of  ^Manitoba,  it 
is  perhaps  better  to  describe  here  the  mode  of  •  cross- 
ing one,  the  work  on  all  being  alike  in  character, 
I  and  only  varying  in  amount  according  to  the  distance 
5  to  be  traversed  and  the  nature  of  the  intervening 
ground.  The  bulkiest  articles  taken  with  us  were 
the  boats,  which  were  all  about  30  feet  long,  and 
made  in  proportion.  They  were  built  with  keels, 
.and  in  form  were  very  much  like  those  used  in  our 


/f^'^ 


i 
i 

! 

i 
> 

ij 

i 
1  ; 

i 
1 

J 

1 ; : 

il:!';! 


!i-! 


i'.i 


r\\ 


.  'i; 


''Ml  n 


244 


TIJAVEL,   ADVENTURE,   AND   SPORT. 


navy.  Each  T)oat  carried  eight  or  nine  soldiers,  aiKJ 
two  or  tliree  Indians  or  civilians,  who  had  been 
especially  engaged  as  skilled  in  managing  boats  in 
rapid  water.  Tlie  stores  were  sixty  days'  provisions 
for  all  embarked,  consisting  of  salt  pork,  beans,  pr«> 
served  potatoes,  Hour,  biscuit,  pepper,  salt,  tea,  ainl 
sugar.  The  heaviest  of  these  articles  was  the  pork, 
which  was  packed  in  small  barrels,  weighing  200  11). 
each,  the  others  being  in  much  lighter  and  mudi 
handier  packages.  iJesides  food,  there  was  ammuni- 
tion, intrenching  -  tools,  camp  equipment,  cooking 
utensils,  waterproof  sheets,  blankets,  &c.,  &c. ;  and 
with  the  artillery,  two  7-pounder  Ijronze  guns,  and 
their  ammunition,  material,  &c.,  &c. 

The  boats  were  distributed  into  brigades  of  six,  to 
each  of  which  a  company  was  allotted.  With  eacli 
brigade  were  Ijoat-builders'  tools,  apd  all  sorts  of  stuff 
for  repairs,  besides  spare  oars,  sails,  <^c.,  &c.  Once 
started,  it  was  known  that  we  should  have  to  r(dy 
upon  ourselves  and  the  stores  we  took  with  us ;  for 
such  was  the  utter  barrenness  of  the  wilderness 
through  which  we  were  about  to  penetrate,  tliat 
nothing  but  wood,  stones,  and  water  were  to  be  hail 
there. 

Every  probable,  indeed  almost  every  possible,  con- 
tingency had  to  be  thought  of  and  provided  for  ;  and 
it  may  be  confidently  asserted  that  no  expedition  has 
ever  started  more  thoroughly  complete  or  better  pre- 
pared for  its  work. 


:li!il' 


iiil 


T. 


THE   RED    RIVER   EXPEDITION. 


215 


ildiers,  aiKl 

liad   been 

2  boats  in 

provisions 

beans,  prc- 

It,  tea,  and 

LS  the  pork, 

ing  200  11). 

and  much 

as  ammnni- 

it,    cooking 

.,  &c. ;  and 

e  guns,  and 

3S  of  six,  to 

With  each 

orts  of  stuff 

&c.     Once 

lave  to  rcdy 

rith.  us;  for 

wilderness 
etrate,    that 

to  be  had 

ossible,  con- 
ed for  ;  and 
sedition  has 
better  pre- 


Tlie  brigades  of  boats  were  to  move  singly  or  in 
groups  of  two  or  three,  according  to  circmnstances ; 
lint  three  was  the  largest  number  that  could  work  to- 
gether on  a  portage,  two  being  the  best.  "When  one 
of  these  detachments  reached  a  portage — which  it 
generally  did  before  the  one  innnediately  in  front  of 
it  had  got  all  its  stores,  tSL'c,  over,  and  Inul  again 
started — the  l)oats  were  at  once  drawn  in  to  the  shore 
as  close  as  possible  and  unloaded,  the  stores  belonging 
to  each  boat  being  ])ut  in  a  separate  pile.  'Jliese  were 
covered  over  with  tarpaulins  if  the  hour  was  too  late 
for  work,  or  if — as  was  always  the  case  with  the  lead- 
ing detachment,  consisting  of  three  brigades  —  the 
roiid  over  the  portage  had  to  be  opened  out,  and 
ndlers  for  the  boats  laid  down  upon  it.  At  other 
tim(!S  the  men  began  to  carry  over  the  stores  without 
(hday,  piling  them  in  heaps,  one  for  each  boat,  at  the 
far  end  of  the  road,  'i'he  ordinary  iii<  thod  in  vogue 
with  Indians  and  the  regular  North  American  voy- 
ageurs  for  carrying  loads,  is  by  m<  :ins  of  a  long  strap 
about  three  inches  wide  in  the  centre.',  whcire  it  is 
passed  across  the  forehead,  but  tapering  oil"  to  an  inch 
in  width  at  the  ends,  which  are  fastened  round  the 
barrel  or  })arcel  to  be  portaged. 

^len  accustomed  to  this  work  will  thus  carry 
weights  of  400  lb.,  and  some  500  lb.,  across  the  long- 
est portage,  the  loads  resting  on  the  upper  part  of  the 
back,  and  kept  there  by  the  strap  going  round  the 
forehead.     The  great  strain  is  thus  upon  the  neck, 

VOI.    I.  R 


-if! 


miSSSSSSSSm 


mssssm 


246 


TRAVEL,   ADVENTURE,   AND  SPORT. 


I 

1 


I 


'I'l  ( 


■i 


which  has  to  be  kept  very  rigid,  whilst  the  body  is 
bent  well  forward. 

As  it  could  not  be  expected  that  soldiers  untrained 
to  such  labour  would  be  able  to  carry  loads  in  that 
manner,  short  pieces  of  rope  with  a  loop  at  each  end 
were  supplied  to  the  boats,  by  means  of  which  two 
short  poles — cut  in  the  woods  at  the  portages  as  re- 
quired— wero>  easily  converted  into  a  very  efficient 
hand-l)arrow,  of  just  the  dimensions  required  for  the 
conveyance  of  the  small  barrels  in  which  our  pork 
and  flour  were  packed. 

After,  however,  a  little  practice,  a  large  proportion 
of  the  men  soon  learned  to  use  the  common  portage- 
strap,  their  officers  setting  them  the  example  by  them- 
selves carrying  heavy  loads  with  it.  As  soon  as  all 
the  stores  had  been  conveyed  across  the  portage,  the 
boats  were  hauled  ashore,  and  dragged  over,  their 
keels  resting  on  small  trees  felled  across  the  path  to 
act  as  rollers.  The  labour  involved  by  hauling  a 
heavy  boat  up  u  very  steep  incline,  to  a  height  of 
about  a  hundred  feet,  is  no  child's  play.  In  eacli 
boat  there  was  a  strong  painter  and  a  towing-line,  by 
means  of  which  and  the  leather  portage-straps  a  sort 
of  man-harness  was  fcnined  when  required,  so  tliat 
forty  or  fifty  men  could  haul  together.  Say  the  port- 
age was  a  mile  long  (some  were  more),  and  that  each 
man  had  to  make  ten  trips  across  it  before  all  the 
stores  of  his  brigade  were  got  over,  he  would  have 
walked  nineteen  miles  during  the  operation,  being 


T. 


THE  RED   VdVER   EXPEDITION. 


247 


le  body  is 

;  untrained 
ids  in  that 
t  each  end 
which  two 
tatjes  as  re- 
ry  efficient 
ired  for  the 
h  our  pork 

proportion 
on  portage- 
)le  by  theni- 
soon  as  aU 
portage,  the 
over,  their 
the  path  to 
hauling  a 
a  height  of 
In  eacli 
ing-line,  by 
itraps  a  sort 
ed,  so  that 
ay  the  port- 
d  that  each 
fore  all  the 
would  have 
ition,  being 


I 


licavily  laden  for  ten  of  them.  At  some  portages 
considerable  engineering  ingenuity  was  required — 
small  streams  had  to  be  bridged  and  marshy  spots  to 
be  corduroyed  over.  By  the  time  our  men  returned 
many  of  theniAvere  expert  axemen,  and  all  were  more 
or  less  skilled  in  the  craft  of  the  voyageur  and  Ameri- 
can woodsman. 

The  country  between  Prince  Arthur's  Landing  and 
Shebandowan  Lake  is  wild  and  rugged.  The  road 
hetween  those  two  places  runs  AV.X.W.,  and  may, 
for  purposes  of  description,  be  divided  into  three  sec- 
tions— tlie  first  extending  to  Strawberry  Creek,  about 
eighteen  miles  ;  the  second  to  the  Matawan  River, 
al)out  eight  miles  farther  on  ;  and  the  tliird  from 
tlience  to  Shebandowan  Lake,  about  twenty -two 
miles  more. 

The  first  section  is  very  hilly,  the  soil  near  the  bay 
being  sandy,  with  a  surface-covering  at  most  places 
of  from  six  to  twenty-nine  inches  of  peaty  mould. 
Li  the  valleys  between  the  hills  are  deep  swamps, 
over  Avhich  roads  can  only  be  made  with  considerable 
labour.  The  timber  has  been  entirely  destroyed  at 
some  places  by  fires,  so  that  every  now  and  then  tlie 
road  emerges  from  the  thick  forest  into  clear  (.)pen 
s[)aces  sometimes  of  many  hundreds  of  acres  in  ex- 
tout,  where  the  ground  is  covered  with  the  burnt 
tnuiks  of  fallen  trees,  piled  up  at  places  one  over  the 
other  like  spillikins,  an  occasional  pine  of  great  height 
being  left  standing  as  it  were  to  show  the  traveller 


248 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


1 1 


Til 


. '  i  I 


III  !> 

li'si 


!    J  I  1 


;•■! ' 


rii; 


the  vastness  of  the  destruction.  These  places  are 
called  hruJees  in  the  language  of  the  country ;  and  in 
a  few  years  after  the  fire  has  passed  over  them,  are 
so  tliickly  covered  by  raspberry  and  rose  bushes  tliat 
it  is  difficult  and  tiring  to  cross  them  on  foot.  Tlie 
timber  consists  of  white  and  red  spruce,  pitch-pine, 
balsam,  cedar,  tamarack,  white  birch,  and  poplar,  tlie 
latter  being  at  some  places  along  the  road  in  large 
quantities  and  of  a  great  size.  The  rocks  are  trap- 
pean,  a  hard  compact  slate,  with  numerous  veins  of 
amethystine  quartz  and  jasper,  and  jasper  conglom- 
erate, running  through  them  in  irregular  directions. 
Many  silver-mines  have  been  discovered  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood, and  galena,  plumbago,  and  copper  in  sev- 
eral forms  are  known  to  abound  ;  so  that  no  prophetic 
powers  are  necessary  to  foretell  the  great  importance 
that  this  country  will  assume  ere  long  from  the  de- 
velopment of  its  mineral  resources.  About  midway 
in  this  section  is  the  most  rocky  district  traversed  by 
the  road,  where  it  ascends  through  a  rugged  and  hilly 
country  to  a  height  of  many  hundred  feet  above 
Thunder  Bay.  This  region  is  also  heavily  wooded, 
so  road-making  through  it  was  no  easy  matter.  At 
many  places  large-sized  boulders  had  to  be  removed 
from  the  road ;  and  at  others,  where  great  rough  rocks 
cropped  up  in  the  way,  they  were  broken  up  by  light- 
ing huge  fires  around  thcni,  and  by  throwing  w\ater 
over  them  when  thoroughly  heated.  This  caused 
them  to  split  up  into  pieces,  reminding^ one  of  the 


THE   RED   KIVER   EXPEDITION. 


249 


iiKitliod  said  to  have  been  adopted  l)y  Hannibal  in 
crossing  the  Alps. 

Some  half-dozen  emigrants  had  settled  along  this 
first  section  of  the  road,  the  hrulees  enabling  them 
to  establish  themselves  without  the  labour  of  felling 
timber;  and  their  little  shanties  were,  when  we  ar- 
rived, already  surrounded  by  potato -gardens,  whilst 
liore  and  there  the  rich  greenness  of  a  patch  of  oats 
crave  an  air  of  civilisation  to  the  scene.  Xumerous 
small  rivulets  are  crossed  in  this  section,  over  which 
bridges  and  culverts  were  constructed ;  also  two 
streams,  one  about  30  and  the  other  about  40  yards 
wide,  requiring  more  substantial  work  in  carrying  the 
road  over  them. 

As  you  approach  Strawberry  Creek,  which  sepa- 
rates the  first  from  the  second  of  the  three  sections, 
the  general  aspect  of  the  country  changes  completely, 
and  a  red  clay  soil  takes  the  place  of  the  sand,  rock, 
an'l  peat  passed  over  up  to  that  point.  The  whole 
of  the  second  section  is  composed  of  hills  formed  by 
this  red  clay,  which,  although  admirably  adapted  for 
bricks  and  pottery,  is  extremely  bad  for  road-making. 
When  hard  and  dry,  it  was  good  for  traffic ;  but  after 
a  shower  of  rain  it  became  so  slippery  that  horses  had 
much  difficulty  in  keeping  their  feet,  and  a  regularly 
wet  day  caused  the  wheels  to  sink  so  deep,  that  the 
horses  struggled  through  it  with  difficulty,  losing 
shoes  at  every  stride.  A  few  days'  rain  renders  it 
impassable  for  wheeled  transport,  so  that  during  the 


^m 


r.^Sr~*  '^c^Moa 


250 


TltAVEL,   ADVENTURE,   AND   SPOUT. 


i; 


1 1 


!■    ■  I 


I    i  III  I 


.^lil 


;  i  i  i  ■ 


';lii 


M'UI 


■,  n 


operation  of  forwarding  stores  over  it  in  waggons,  all 
traffic  was  stopped  several  times  for  days  together. 

The  valley  of  the  Kaministiquia,  where  the  road 
crosses  it,  is  extremely  pretty :  the  liills  around  are 
sufficiently  rugged  to  be  picturesque ;  whilst  fires 
have  for  generations  back  so  frequently  swept  over 
them  that  their  surface  is  tolerably  open,  with  rock> 
cropi^ing  up  here  and  there,  as  if  to  give  shadows  to 
the  picture  ;  clumps  of  willow^  are  scattered  at  places, 
whilst  the  river's  edge  is  fringed  with  bushes  and 
stunted  trees.  The  river  is  about  107  yards  in 
width,  and  unfordable.  The  iMatawan  falls  into  it 
about  half  a  mile  above  the  bridge  ;  above  that  again 
is  a  succession  of  heavy  and  imposing-looking  rapid>!, 
over  which  our  boats  were  tracked  with  difficulty,  and 
w^ith  trying  labour  to  the  men. 

The  second  section  ends  where  the  road  crosses  the 
Mataw^an  by  a  bridge  about  70  yards  in  length,  con- 
structed, like  the  previous  one,  during  the  preceding 
winter.  The  distance  between  the  two  bridges  is 
about  five  miles,  the  road  running  through  some 
deep  valleys  and  along  the  sides  of  rounded  hills  of 
red  clay,  the  timber  of  which  lay  about  in  decaying 
logs,  bearing  Avitness  to  the  many  fires  that  have 
swept  over  the  district  at  various  remote  periods. 

As  the  road  descends  into  the  valley  of  the  Mata- 
wan  and  enters  the  third  section,  the  character  of  the 
soil  and  scenery  again  changes — the  red  clay  is  left 
behind,  and  one  enters   a   rolling   country  of   rich 


THE  KED   KIVER  EXPEDITION. 


251 


clayey  loam,  with  sandy  rises  here  and  there,  all 
thickly  "vvooded  over.  Two  unfordahle  streams — one 
of  24,  the  other  of  about  33  yards  in  width — had  to 
Ije  bridged  over  in  this  section.  As  already  stated, 
nearly  the  whole  of  the  last  eighteen  miles  of  road, 
including  these  two  bridges,  had  to  be  made  after  our 
arrival,  which  retarded  our  progress  to  an  extent  that 
liad  not  been  anticipated. 

The  road  is  much  more  level  in  this  section  than 
in  the  other  two ;  but  at  many  places  the  natural 
drahiage  is  so  bad,  that  even  up  to  the  date  when 
the  force  had  finally  embarked  at  Shebandowan,  the 
track  cut  through  the  forest  was  useless  as  a  highway 
fur  constant  and  heavy  trafftc.  Had  it  not  been  dis- 
covered in  time,  as  already  detailed,  that  the  river 
could  be  made  available,  particularly  along  ^  rts  of 
this  third  section,  for  the  transport  of  our  bou  s  and 
stores,  we  should  have  been  delayed  a  month  or  six 
weeks  still  further  than  we  were,  and  could  not  pos- 
sibly have  reached  Fort  Garry  in  time  to  have  fitted 
up  barrack  accommodation  for  the  troops  before  the 
winter  set  in,  or  to  have  brought  them  back  before 
the  fro^ '  •  1  closed  the  rivers  and  small  lakes  to  be 
passed  un  the  higher  portions  of  the  route. 

It  was  the  knowledge  of  these  facts,  and  the  con- 
sciousness of  the  emergency,  that  justified  those 
responsible  for  the  success  of  the  Expedition  in 
calling  upon  the  men  to  undergo  the  unceasing 
labour  that   was   entailed  upon    them.       "  Sunday 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


El' 


h:  i 


;  I 


'1:1! 


li.i 


■'I 


slionc  no  Stibbath-day  for  tlioni."  From  the  time 
tlio  troops  began  to  advance,  ''  Push  on,  push  on,"' 
was  the  hourly  cry  of  the  officers  ;  and  every  one, 
down  to  the  youngest  bugler,  being  taken  into  the 
leader's  confidence  regarding  the  necessity  for  haste, 
recognised  the  urgency  of  the  case,  and  put  his 
shoulder  to  the  wheel  with  a  will  and  a  cheerv 
energy  that  Ijade  defiance  to  all  obstacles.  We 
treated  our  men  not  as  machines,  but  as  reasoning 
beings,  having  all  feelings  in  common  with  ourselves ; 
and  they  responded  to  our  appeals  as  Jiritish  soldiers 
ever  will  when  under  men  in  whom  they  have  un- 
bounded confidence. 

Before  a  start  could  be  made  it  was  essential  that 
at  least  two  months'  supplies  for  the  whole  force 
should  bo  collected  at  Shebandowan  Lake. 

Our  transport  horses  were  very  fat  when  they 
landed,  and  had  to  begin  work  at  once,  so  that, 
although  allowed  to  eat  as  much  oats  and  hay  as 
they  could,  they  quickly  fell  off  dreadfully  in  con- 
dition. The  badness  of  the  roads  rendered  the  work 
very  severe  upon  them,  and  a  large  proportion  were 
soon  unfit  for  draught,  owing  to  sore  shoulders. 
Two  causes  contributed  chiefly  to  this :  first,  the 
badness  of  the  collars  ;  and  secondly,  the  carelessness 
of  the  drivers. 

The  harness  had  been  provided  by  the  Canadian 
Government,  and,  like  all  the  military  stores  supplied 
by  it  for  this  Expedition,  was  of  an  inferior  descrip- 


I 


THE   KED   i;iVEU   EXrEDlTIOX. 


25:^ 


tioii  ohtainoil  hy  CMjiitract.  The  military  forco  in 
L'anatla  was  to  l)e  rtMluccd  in  tlio  suinincr  of  1S70  ; 
and  orders  hail  Leeii  received  by  tlie  general  com- 
manding, desiring  him  to  dispose  of,  on  the  spot,  or 
to  send  home  to  England — according  as  he  might 
think  best  for  the  pnhlic  interest — all  the  military 
.«;t(jres,  giving  the  Dominion  Government  the  option 
of  buying  at  a  valuation  all  or  any  portion  of  them. 
We  had  in  store  plenty  of  harness  and  every  descrip- 
tion of  article  required  for  the  ei^uipment  of  the  force, 
the  regulation  prices  of  "which  were  considerably  below 
what  similar  but  vastly  inferior  articles  could  be  ob- 
tained for  in  the  open  market. 

It  did  not,  however,  suit  the  Ottawa  ]\Iinisters, 
whose  province  it  was  to  obtam  the  re(][uired  stores, 
to  get  them  from  our  magazines ;  they  preferred  pur- 
chasing the  inferior  and  dearer  articles  through  their 
own  agents  from  their  own  political  friends  and  sup- 
porters. When  money  is  to  be  spent  in  Canada,  tlio 
opportunity  is  seldom  lost  for  furthering  party  ob- 
jects. As  a  stronger  illustration  of  this,  we  may 
here  mention  that  the  boots  supplied  to  the  militia 
regiments  were  so  utterly  worthless  after  a  few 
weeks'  wear,  that,  upon  arriving  at  Thunder  Bay, 
it  was  found  necessary  to  send  back  to  Canada  for 
new  ones  from  our  stores — so  that  the  country  had  to 
pay  for  two  pair  per  man  instead  of  one. 

The  men  for  the  land-transport  service  were  especi- 
ally engaged  for  this  duty  by  the  militia  department ; 


1 


!  1 


I ;' 


;!     I 


i!!' 


■111! 


'iiil'li 


254 


TRAVEL,   ADVEXTUIiE,   AND   SPORT. 


and,  M'itli  soiiio  excoptions,  a  more  "worthless  set  as 
drivers  and  liorse-keepers  it  is  scarcely  possi))le  to  im- 
a.^ine.  ^[eii  of  all  sorts  of  callings,  except  those  ac- 
custonied  to  the  care  of  horses,  ■were  enlisted,  so  thai 
some  of  them  did  not  even  know  how  to  put  a  set  of 
harness  together.  As  S(K)n  as  these  men  got  clear  (•{ 
a  station  on  th(i  road,  an  1  out  of  view  of  the  trans- 
port oflicers,  they  played  all  sorts  of  i)ranks,  and  in- 
stead of  going  at  a  steady  walk,  chose  their  own  pace, 
sometimes  amusing  themselves  hy  racmg.  It  was 
found  necessary  to  make  some  examples  amongst  the 
worst-hehavcd  before  anything  like  discipline  could 
be  maintained  amongst  them. 

As  a  protection  for  the  horses  against  the  heavy 
rains,  ranges  of  rough  stables  were  erected  at  several 
places  along  the  48  miles  of  road  between  Prince 
Arthur's  Landing  and  the  lake — the  planks  for  those 
at  the  former  place  being  brought  from  Collingwood 
in  steamers,  those  used  elsewhere  being  sawn  from 
trees  cut  down  where  required.  The  Canadian  axe- 
man is  very  handy  at  constructing  shelter  for  either 
cattle  or  stores ;  the  bark  of  trees,  particularly  of  the 
birch  and  tamarack,  is  largely  used  instead  of  plank- 
ing. A  roof  is  also  quickly  and  efficiently  made  w^tli 
troughs  hewn  from  logs  of  American  poplar,  placed, 
as  tiles  are,  in  rows  alternately  convex  and  concave, 
each  trough  being  cut  of  sufficient  length  to  reach 
from  the  apex  to  the  eave  of  the  roof ;  and  one  large 
one,  cut  from  a  tree  of  greater  diameter,  being  placed 


UT. 


THE   I;EL)    \a\E\l    KXIT-DITIOX. 


L>55 


ilcss  set  as 
;sil)lo  to  ini- 
pt  tlioso  ac- 
ited,  so  that 
put  a  set  of 
got  clear  nf 
i  tlio  traiis- 
tiks,  and  iu- 
ir  own  pace, 
,g.  It  Avas 
[iniongst  the 
ipline  could 

t  the  heavy 

}d  at  several 

reen  Prince 

.ks  for  those 

uollingwood 

sawn  from 

iiadian  axc- 

r  for  either 

darly  of  the 

,d  of  plank- 

r  made  with 

)lar,  placed, 

nd  concave, 

th  to  reach 

id  one  large 

Deing  placed 


loii-itudinally  at  top,  along  the  ridge,  so  as  to  cover 
up  tlie  ends  of  the  troughs  of  hoth  si«les  of  the  roof 
wht'ie  they  meet  above. 

Ouring  the  month  of  June,  and  half  the  montli  of 
,luly,  the  work  on  tlie  road  went  (tn  unremittingly, 
"  ((a'duroying"  l)eing  alone  attempted;  ditches  were 
made  at  ])oints  only  where  they  were  essential  to  pre- 
vent Hooding.  As  few  of  our  readers  have  ever  seen 
a  corduroy  road  —  may  none  of  them  ever  have  to 
drive  over  one  ! — a  few  lines  describing  its  construc- 
tion may  not  be  out  of  place.  The  course  to  b(3  f(d- 
lowed  through  the  forest  having  been  marked  out  by 
'M)hizing"  a  line  of  trees,  the  re(iuired  breadth  of 
road  is  cleared  of  tind3er  and  all  serious  obstructions, 
and  partially  levelled.  Logs  of  from  six  to  nine 
inches  in  diameter  are  then  cut  ten  feet  long,  and 
laid  close  together  side  by  side,  small  branches  and 
sand  or  earth  being  strewn  over  them  to  fill  up 
the  unavoidable  interstices.  Such  was  the  rough 
method  pursued  by  us ;  but  in  Canada  more  care- 
ful labour  is  bestowed  upon  roads  of  this  descrij)- 
tion  when  they  are  intendetl  for  more  permanent 
use. 

Before  leaving  Prince  Arthur's  Landing,  a  depu- 
tation of  Indians  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Fort 
Francis  arrived  to  inquire  what  we  were  doing,  and 
what  were  to  be  our  intended  movements.  The 
party  consisted  of  three  men,  two  boys,  and  a  squaw. 
Few  of  us  had  ever  before  seen  the  pure  heathen 


uni 


:':Milil 


I 


1  ;i 

•  'I  ■  ;  I 

)  i 
i  1 


.;i-  '  i 


256 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


Xortli  American  Indian,  and  it  must  be  admitted  that 
none  of  us  were  very  favourably  impressed  by  these 
specimens  of  that  people.  When  near  our  camp,  the 
speaker  of  the  party,  called  "  Blackstone,"  havin.; 
lagged  behind  the  others,  was  overtaken  by  an  officer 
who  was  driving  towards  the  bay,  and  who  volun- 
teered by  signs  to  give  him  a  lift ;  the  offer  was  good- 
humouredly  accepted.  This  Indian  chief  had  never 
been  in  a  wheeled  conveyance  before ;  and  havina', 
like  all  these  wood  savages,  an  instinctive  horror  of 
horses,  the  drive  was  gone  through  with  more  solem- 
nity than  pleasure.  When  he  came  in  sight  of  the 
tents  he  requested  permission  to  dismount  where 
there  was  a  little  stream  of  water.  Pulling  from  his 
pocket  a  small  piece  of  soap,  he  wet  it,  and  plastered 
down  his  long,  straight,  black  hair  with  it,  and  tied 
round  his  head  a  mink-skin,  from  which  at  the  back 
stood  up  a  row  of  eagle's  feathers,  with  here  and  there 
an  ermine-tail  hanging  from  them.  Having  thus  com- 
pleted his  toilet,  he  came  into  camp. 

An  English  missionary  who  had  recently  arrived 
from  Canada,  and  who  lived  close  to  the  beach,  in- 
vited the  whole  party  to  his  tent,  where  he  gave 
them  a  joo^^.  dinner — no  easy  matter,  as  an  Indian 
will  eat  as  niuch  as  four  white  men  if  allowed  to  have 
as  much  as  he  likes.  The  feast  over,  the  zealous 
clergyman  thought  he  might  improve  the  occasion  by 
administering  to  their  spiritual  wants ;  but  they  no 
sooner  imderstood  his  object  than  they  hastily  bolted 


,^f 


•I 


THE   RED   RIVER   EXPEDITIOX. 


257 


itted  that 
by  these 
camp,  the 
,"   havincj 
an  officer 
ho  volun- 
was  good- 
liad  never 
d  having, 
1  horror  of 
ore  solem- 
^ht  of  the 
int  where 
g  from  his 
I  plastered 
;,  and  tied 
the  back 
and  there 
thus  com- 

ly  arrived 

beach,  in- 

he   gave 

an  Indian 

d  to  have 

e  zealous 

casion  by 

.t  they  no 

ily  bolted 


from  his  tent  as  if  it  had  been  infected,  such  is  their 
horror  of  tliose  who  seek  to  convert  them. 

The  deputation  was  formally  presented  to  Colonel 
Wolseley,  and  a  great  deal  of  talking  ensued.  The 
Indians  call  such  an  interview  a  *'  pow-wow,"  and 
are  very  fond  of  making  long  speeches  at  them, 
^lany  of  the  chiefs  have  great  oratorical  powers,  and 
use  much  gesticulation  when  declaiming.  They  ex- 
pressed astonishment  at  finding  us  making  a  road 
tlu'ough  their  country  without  having  previously  made 
any  treaty  for  their  lands,  and  were  very  anxious  to 
enter  upon  the  subject  of  the  terms  we  intended  pro- 
posing for  the  extinction  of  their  territorial  rights. 
These  men  had  really  no  just  claim  to  the  land  near 
the  bay,  nor,  indeed,  one  might  say,  to  the  land  lying 
between  the  hills  and  Lake  Superior,  as  they  never 
hunted  there ;  and  beyond  tliose  hills,  until  you 
reached  Eainy  River,  tliere  was  no  land  wortli  mak- 
ing a  treaty  about.  They  were  told  that  there  was 
no  intention  whatever  of  making  any  arrangements 
on  the  subject  at  present ;  but  that  hereafter,  should 
the  Canadian  Government  require  any  of  their  land, 
a  suitable  treaty  would  be  made,  when  ample  justice 
would  T3e  done  them.  They  expressed  themselves  as 
devotedly  loyal  to  the  "  Great  Mother  " — meaning  the 
<t>ueen — and  anxious  to  assist  their  white  brethren  to 
the  utmost  of  their  power.  They  were  made  to  under- 
stand that  we  merely  wished  for  a  right  of  way  througli 
their  territory,  and  that  we  had  no  intention  of  occu- 


IS 
I 


I  "i  i 


-■■    H:!^!H 


i  : 


l'!i 


m 

nil'' 


il;; 


Mlili'tl 

'111;     i  I 


258 


TRAVEL,  ADVEXTUEE,  AND  SPORT. 


pying  their  lands.  Promises  were  made  to  them  that 
their  head  men  should  receive  suitable  presents ;  but 
that  as  we  were  pressed  extremely  for  time,  and  would 
have  great  difficulty  in  carrying  enough  supplies  with 
us  to  last  during  our  tedious  journey,  they  must  not 
expect  to  receive  them  from  the  soldiers  this  year; 
that  the  officer  who  was  then  representing  Canada  at 
Fort  Francis  would  arrange  all  particulars  as  to  tlie 
quantities  of  things  they  were  to  be  given,  and  when 
and  where  they  were  to  receive  them. 

They  said  they  would  go  back  and  inform  their 
friends  of  what  had  been  told  them,  and  in  the 
meantime  we  were  welcome  to  help  ourselves  to  as 
much  wood  and  water  along  the  line  of  route  as  wo 
might  require  daily. 

These  representatives  of  the  once  flourishing  trihe 
of  OjibcAvahs — or  Chippewahs,  is  they  are  indiffer- 
ently called — were  fine  straight -looking  men,  and 
moved  about  with  a  certain  dignity  of  bearing. 
Never  but  once  did  any  of  them  express  astonish- 
ment at  what  they  saw,  when  the  oldest  of  the  party, 
after  long  and  silent  contemplation  of  the  busy  scene 
at  our  crowded  wharf,  said,  "AVhat  a  number  of 
white  men  there  must  be  in  the  world  !  "  They  were 
told  to  help  themselves  to  a  suit  of  clothes  each 
from  a  shop  which  an  enterprising  tradesman  had 
established  near  camp ;  and,  with  the  usual  childish- 
ness and  improvidence  of  their  race,  they  seemed  to 
select  those  articles  which,  of  all  others,  were  least 


RT. 


THE   KED   rJVER   EXPEDITION. 


259 


)  them  that 
esents;  hut 
,  and  would 
ipplies  with 
ey  nuist  not 
5  this  year; 
g  Canada  at 
:s  as  to  tlio 
1,  and  when 

nforni  their 
and  in  the 

selves  to  as 
route  as  we 

rishing  tribe 
are  indiffer- 
g  men,  and 
of  bearing. 
ss  astonisli- 
of  the  party, 
busy  scene 
number  of 
They  were 
clothes  eacdi 
iesnian  had 
ual  childisli- 
y  seemed  to 
5,  were  least 


suited  for  the  life  they  had  to  lead — a  frock-coat 
C)f  the  finest  cloth  being  the  garment  most  dear  to 
them. 

Early  in  July  our  headquarters  were  transferred 
to  the  bridge  over  the  Matawan  Eiver,  a  most  pic- 
turesque spot.  Immediately  below  the  bridge  there 
was  a  fall,  and  below  that  again  a  series  of  rapids 
f(ir  many  miles.  The  banks  being  wooded  down  to 
the  water's  edge,  there  was  some  difficulty  in  clearing 
sufficient  space  for  the  camp  of  two  battalions,  and 
the  large  mass  of  provisions  which  it  was  found 
necessary  to  collect  there.  Here  we  erected  stables 
and  rough  store -houses,  so  that  the  place  quickly 
assumed  the  appearance  of  a  little  village  busy  with 
life,  where  the  noise  of  the  blacksmith's  hammer  re- 
sounded from  early  down  until  dark.  The  departure 
of  empty  waggons,  and  the  arrival  of  loaded  ones, 
went  on  at  all  hours  ;  and  the  noisy  scene  at  the 
falls,  where  the  boats  arriving  by  river  from  Thunder 
Bay  had  to  be  portaged  over  about  fifty  yards,  im- 
pressed upon  the  stranger  visiting  our  camps  the 
earnestness  of  the  work  before  us. 

The  black  flies  and  sand-flies  were  very  trouble- 
some at  times,  but  a  merciful  Providence  has  only 
given  them  power  to  annoy  man  by  day,  so  that,  ex- 
cept occasionally,  when  the  never-flagging  mosquito 
buzzed  round  our  heads  at  night,  our  sleep  was  un- 
disturbed. Before  leaving  Canada  we  had  heard  such 
"  travellers'   yarns "    about    the  positive  torture  we 


^i^! 


H 


-T«»«-> 


260 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


If 


'  I 


llf!  r 


!   i       : 
.    t       ' 

1'!   il 

!  i 
■  1     '' 

x 

i     ' 

■  i ! 

j  ; 

!    1 

t 

i    1 

j 

iiiiiiihi 

■  . 

' 

should  have  to  undergo  from  flies,  that  consideralde 
trouble  was  taken  to  design,  as  a  protection  against 
them,  a  veil  made  of  net,  shaped  like  a  bag  open  at 
both  ends :  it  was  to  be  worn  round  the  head,  witli 
which  it  was  prevented  from  coming  in  contact  by 
hoops  made  of  fine  crinoline  wire.  Much  expense 
had  also  been  incurred  in  providing  each  boat  witli 
a  can  of  stuff  known  to  all  salmon-fishermen  in  Xortli 
America  as  mosquito  oil.  It  is  made  with  creosote 
and  pennyroyal ;  and  when  the  face  is  well  anointid 
with  this  disgusting  unguent,  no  mosquito  or  otlu  r 
winged  torment  will  touch  you  as  long  as  it  is  fresli. 
The  parties  engaged  in  bringing  up  the  boats  l»y 
river,  and  some  of  those  stationed  at  j^laces  along 
the  road,  were  occasionally  glad  to  use  the  veil  to- 
wards evening ;  but  after  the  final  start  of  the  force 
from  Shebandowan,  the  only  use  they  were  put  to 
was  for  straining  water  through  on  the  Lake  of  tlie 
Woods,  where,  as  will  be  hereafter  described,  the 
water  was  almost  opaque  from  the  vegetable  matter 
it  held  in  suspension.  The  oil  came  in  useful  for 
burning  in  the  lamps  when  the  supply  taken  for  them 
had  been  expended. 

Although  the  extreme  measures  of  veils  and  oil 
were  not  found  necessary,  yet  whilst  we  were  en- 
camped m  the  woods,  the  mosquitoes  were  always 
sufficiently  annoying  to  render  it  desirable  to  ha\e 
as  much  smoke  as  possible  round  where  you  sat  in 
the  evening,  to  keep  them  at  a  distance.     In  front  of 


IT. 


THE   TiED    IIIVKI:   EXPEDITION. 


261 


onsideralilc 
ion  against 
lag  open  at 
head,  with 
contact  liv 
zh.  expense 
L  boat  witli 
m  in  Nortli 
til  creosote 
11  anointed 
to  or  other 
I  it  is  fresli. 
e  boats  l>y 
)laces  along 
the  veil  to- 
3f  the  force 
rere  put  to 
ake  of  the 
cribed,   the 
ible  matter 
useful  for 
en  for  them 

lis  and  oil 
e  were  en- 
rere  always 
)le  to  ha^e 
you  sat  in 
In  front  of 


each  tent-door,  as  soon  as  the  sun  went  down,  you 
eenorally  saw  wliat  the  backwoodsman  calls  a 
'•  smudge  "  smouldering  away,  filling  the  tents  witli 
till'  volumes  of  steamy  smoke  which  it  emitted.  \ 
smudge  is  simply  a  small  fire,  on  which  is  put  damp 
iiiuss,  or  wet  rotten  wood  or  bark,  which  in  burning 
uives  out  clouds  of  vapour  laden  with  carbonic  acid 
uas.  To  impregnate  the  air  more  effectually,  the 
smudge  was  frequently  placed  actually  inside  the 
t«'nt,  the  door  being  left  open,  so  that  the  flies  in- 
commoded by  the  atmosphere  might  escape.  AVlien 
tlio  tent  is  completely  filled  with  smoke,  the  door  is 
fastened  up  for  the  night,  so  that  no  mosquito  can  enter. 

The  stores  were  brought  by  our  land  -  trans j)ort 
waggons  as  far  as  the  ]\Iatawan  camp;  the  road  as 
far  as  that  being  in  fine  weather  very  good,  all  things 
considered.  The  great  nut  to  crack  was  to  get  them 
over  the  twenty-two  miles  between  there  and  Lake 
Slu'bandowan,  a  small  portion  only  of  that  distance 
1  laving  a  practical )le  road  over  it.  Every  mile  of 
navigable  water  on  the  river  was  therefore  made  use 
of,  the  stores  being  sent  up  for  the  first  few  miles  in 
hoats,  then  conveyed  a  few  more  miles  in  waggons, 
then  in  boats  again  for  about  eleven  miles,  then  a 
short  distance  again  by  waggon,  and  finally  by  water 
again  for  the  last  three  miles  to  Shebandowan  Lake  : 
there  they  were  collected  on  a  sandy  beach,  previous 
to  being  distributed  amongst  the  brigades  as  they 
•started  finally  for  Fort  (rarry. 

VOL.    I.  S 


«! 


!m:i 


'■      '  !  1^ 


.  ;i  1 


I 


262 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  reniincl  the  mercantile 
reader  that  this  "  breaking  bulk "  so  repeatedly  in- 
jured the  stores  considerably,  and  entailed  much 
labour  on  the  soldiers. 

The  only  recreations  enjoyed  by  our  men  were 
bathing  and  fishing.  Of  tlie  former,  wliilst  working 
in  the  boats,  all  had  more  than  enough,  for  the  men 
had  constantly  to  work  in  the  water  ;  but  whilst  em- 
ployed at  road-making  or  moving  stores  on  shore,  a 
swim  after  the  day's  work  was  most  enjoyable. 
The  water  in  Lake  Superior  is  always  very  cold; 
but  that  in  some  of  the  rivers  —  the  Matawan, 
for  instance — was  positively  tepid,  so  that  the  men 
would  roll  about  in  it  for  a  length  of  time  without 
feeling  any  ill  effects.  The  strangest  phenomenon 
was  in  M^Xeil's  Bay,  on  Lake  Shebandowan,  where, 
in  swimming,  at  one  moment  you  passed  through  a 
narrow  strip  of  very  cold  water,  and  the  next  instant 
you  were  in  water  as  warm  as  the  liuman  body.  The 
effect  was  most  curious,  and  is  supposed  to  come  from 
springs  rising  from  the  bottom  of  the  lake  in  that 
shallow  portion  of  it.  A\^ien  encamped  at  Prince 
Arthur's  Landing  the  men  caught  immense  quanti- 
ties of  lake  trout,  many  of  them  weighing  ten  or 
twelve  pounds,  those  of  five  or  six  being  considered 
small.  They  are  without  exception  the  most  taste- 
less of  the  finny  tribe.  There  is  nothing  repulsive 
about  them,  either  in  appearance  or  in  flavour ;  but 
still,  as  food,  we  know  of  nothing  which  is  less  palu- 


lil 


I  i:i!!i.ii;; 


■  ! 


THE  RED   PJVEIl  EXPEDITION. 


2G3 


table  without  being  positively  nauseous.  At  the 
various  other  camps  along  the  road,  and  subse- 
quently during  the  advance  upon  Fort  Garry,  the 
men  caught  pike  by  trolling  from  the  boats.  Those 
with  black  backs  were  fair  eating  ;  but  the  other  sorts 
were  bony  and  soft,  with  a  muddy  flavour.  Each 
brigade  was  furnished  with  a  fishing-net,  as  it  was 
expected  that  large  quantities  of  fish  would  be  ob- 
tained along  the  line  of  route  to  vary  the  daily  diet : 
but  it  was  subsequently  found  impossible  to  use 
them ;  for,  being  pressed  for  time,  we  never  halted 
for  a  day  until  we  reached  Fort  Alexander,  close 
to  Lake  Winnipeg  ;  and  as  every  one  worked  hard 
from  sunrise  until  dark,  there  was  never  time  for 
net-setting. 

Headquarters  were  moved  on  the  14tli  July,  to  a 
spot  within  about  three  and  a  half  miles  of  Shebando- 
wan  Lake.  The  lf*th  of  that  month  had  for  some  time 
been  named  for  tl;e  departure  of  the  first  detachment ; 
but  as  the  day  drew  near,  so  much  still  remained  to 
be  done  that  few  believed  it  possible  to  carry  out  the 
programme  laid  down.  The  spot  on  the  lake  selected 
as  the  starting-point  was  its  extreme  eastern  end, 
wliere  there  ^\'ns  a  beach  of  bright  yellow  sand 
fur  some  hundreds  of  yards  devoid  of  rocks  or 
stones.  We  named  it  M'Xeil's  Bay.  The  forest 
reaching  down  to  the  water's  edge,  entailed  a 
considerable  amount  of  clearing  before  sufficient 
space  for  a   small  camp,  and  for  the  marquees  to 


•   :. 


t* 


I 


;    1^ 


-^^••^■-'■i"-  ■"■  mi    i 


i:; 


IM 


264 


TPiAVEL,  ADVENTURE,   AND   SPORT. 


hold  tlie  perisliablc  stores,  could  be  obtained.  A 
wliarf  was  soon  run  out  into  deep  water,  alongside  of 
which  the  boats  were  to  be  loaded.  A  cooper's  shoj) 
Avas  establislied,  where  all  the  barrels  that  had  re- 
ceived injury  during  their  many  changes  from  carts 
to  boats,  and  vice  vemi^  were  re-hooped,  tliose  from 
which  the  brine  had  leaked  being  refilled.  Carpenters 
were  hard  at  work  repairing  the  boats,  many  of  which 
leaked  considerably,  all  having  suffered  more  or  less 
from  the  sharp-pointed  rocks  of  the  Kaministiquia. 
According  to  the  arrangements  made  with  the  Cana- 
dian authorities,  the  boats  were  to  have  been  handed 
over  to  us  complete  with  all  their  own  stores ;  but 
unfortunately,  from  want  of  an  organised  system, 
and  from  the  lack  of  an  efficient  staff  to  carry  out 
the  instructions  received  from  Ottawa,  the  details  of 
all  such  arrangements  throughout  the  progress  of  the 
Expedition  invariably  fell  to  the  ground.  The  result 
was,  that  according  as  every  six  or  eight  boats  ar- 
rived daily,  they  had  to  be  fitted  with  rowlocks, 
masts,  sails,  rudders,  t^c.  :  those  made  for  each  indi- 
vidual boat  were  not  to  be  found  ;  the  onus  of  fitting 
out  the  boats  devolved  upon  the  troops,  each  cap- 
tain looking  after  the  equipment  for  the  boats  of 
his  own  brigade.  This  occasioned  some  delay;  for 
as  the  boats  were  of  many  different  models  and  sizes, 
rudders,  &c.,  required  much  alteration  before  they 
could  be  made  to  fit  boats  of  a  different  class  from 
those  for  which  they  had  been  constructed. 


<■  4 


I"! 


THE   IIKD   IIIVEU   EXPEl'ITIOX. 


2C5 


During  the  progress  of  this  Expedition,  we  liad 
many  oj)portimities  of  ohservhig  from  behind  the 
scenes  how  Government  affiiirs  are  managed  in 
Canada.  The  gentleman  who  represented  the  Puhlic 
AVurks  Department  with  us  was  a  most  hard-work- 
ing man,  Avho  never  spared  himself  in  any  waj'.  If 
he  was  always  over -sanguine,  it  was  at  least  an 
agreeable  failing,  and  perhaps  arose  from  calculations 
l)ased  upon  the  belief  that  other  men  would  work  as 
hard  as  he  did  himself.  He  had  his  hands  always 
full,  and  had  as  much  to  do  as  any  man,  aided  by 
the  most  efficient  of  staffs,  could  possibly  do  well. 
Alas  for  his  sake,  for  the  good  of  the  service,  and  for 
the  progress  of  the  Expedition,  those  under  him, 
with  one  or  two  exceptions,  were  the  most  help- 
lessly useless  men  that  it  is  possible  to  imagine  ! 
Instead  of  being  permitted  to  choose  his  own  assis- 
tants, he  had  all  sorts  of  hangers-on  about  the 
Ministers  forced  upon  him.  Some  were  broken- 
down  drunkards  who  it  was  thought  ])y  their  friends 
might  be  reclaimed,  if  they  could  only  be  sent  on  an 
errand  into  a  country  where  no  whisky  was  to  be 
had.  All  more  or  less  belonged  to  the  class  known 
ill  America  as  "loafers" — men  who  lived  no  one 
knew  how,  spending  nearly  all  their  time  in  bars 
"liquoring -lip"  and  smoking.  AVe  were  much 
amused  one  day  upon  entering  into  conversation 
with  a  young  gentleman  who  called  himself  the 
"  book-keeper  "  at  one  of  the  roadside  stations.  Upon 


\\ 


f    ; 


ii 


. 


i 


'"^iWff 


<  1. 1 


il  !li 


M 


1 1 


I  i 


2CG 


TKAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


bein,^  asked  tlic  employment  lie  had  been  hired 
for,  he  replied  most  nrnirlf/,  that  having  a  l)rother 
in  Manitoba  wlioni  he  desired  to  see,  his  uncle,  the 
^Minister  for  Public  AVorks,  had  placed  him  upon 
the  staff  of  that  department,  so  that  he  might  be 
taken  there  in  one  of  our  boats  without  expense  to 
himself.  "WTien  appointments  are  to  be  given  away, 
it  is  not  a  question  of  obtaining  good  men,  but  of 
how  party  purposes  may  be  served  by  a  judicious 
allotment  of  them  amongst  political  supporters  and 
their  relations. 

Strong  westerly  winds  prevailed  on  Lake  Sheban- 
dowan  whilst  the  final  arrangements  were  being 
made  for  our  start,  so  that  upon  some  days  such  a 
sea  came  rolling  in  and  1  caking  upon  the  shore 
that  it  was  impossible  to  load  boats,  or  to  get  them 
off  had  we  even  succeeded  in  equipping  them.  Most 
fortunately  these  *' blows"  seldom  became  powerful 
until  about  nine  or  ten  a.m.,  and  generally  wore  them- 
selves out  towards  four  or  five  p.m.,  so  that  we  had 
almost  always  several  hours  in  the  morning  and  even- 
ing for  pushing  on  our  work. 

On  the  night  of  the  15th  July  we  had  the  most 
violent  thunderstorm  experienced  during  the  entire 
operation.  The  heavens  seemed  at  times  as  if  to  open 
and  let  fall  great  crushing  weights  of  exploding  sub- 
stance upon  the  earth  beneath,  which  they  struck 
with  blows  that  made  all  nature  shake  and  tremble. 
Then  followed  what  is  commonly  known  as  rain. 


THE   KED   ItlVEU    EXl'EDITION. 


2G7 


I'll 


l! 


l)ut  Avliich  in  this  instance  -was  as  slieots  of  water 
tumbling  upon  us  in  rapitl  succession,  Ix'^^'inning 
suddenly  and  ending  as  abruptly.  The  morning  of 
the  IGth  was,  liowever,  fine,  with  a  bright  sun  sliin- 
ing,  and  a  strong  westerly  wind  blowing,  which, 
although  it  served  to  dry  up  everything,  raised  such 
a  sea  on  the  lake  that  wave  after  wave  rolled  in 
towards  shore,  breaking  witli  a  h(>avy  surf  over  the 
sandy  beach  in  ^I'Xeil's  Bay.  AVhilst  this  lasted 
Httle  could  be  done  :  the  empty  boats  were  either 
kept  moored  out  in  deep  water  in  strings  one  l)ehind 
the  others,  or  were  drawn  up  high  and  dry  on  the 
shore.  Its  force  lessened  as  the  sun  approached  the 
horizon ;  and  as  the  lake  became  sufficiently  calm, 
lioat  after  boat  was  brought  alongside  the  wharf  and 
received  its  allotted  cargo.  Such  a  scene  of  l:)ustle 
and  excitement  is  seldom  to  be  witnessed.  Each 
boat  had  to  be  complete  in  itself  with  sixty  days' 
provisions  for  all  on  board,  with  ammunition,  camp 
equipment,  and  a  hundred  other  things  all  essential 
for  health  and  safety.  Every  one  felt  that  their 
comfort  and  preservation  would  be  endangered  if 
any  of  the  articles  selected  after  so  much  careful 
thought  by  General  Lindsay  were  forgotten  ;  for  we 
all  knew  that  in  a  few  hours  we  should  have  bid  a 
long  farewell  to  civilisation,  and  that  ere  many  days 
had  passed  we  should  be  beyond  the  reach  of  all 
assistance  from  the  outside  world.  Officers  and  non- 
commissioned were  running  about  in  all  directions, 


r  ■■ 


'    ?7 


Yf^ 


w 


i! 


!.. 


2G8 


TILVVEL,  ADVKNTUKK,   AND   SI'OKT. 


80111(3  searcliiiig  for  oai's,  otluirs  for  missing  sails,  Set'. 
I  [ere  a  sergeant  caiue  to  say  that  the  spare  rowloi-ks 
issued  to  his  hoat  wouhl  not  fit ;  another  reported 
that  althongli  lie  ha«l  heeii  given  a  lamp,  he  had  not 
received  any  oil  for  it, — and  so  on  ;  stafl'  officers 
running  about  in  all  directions,  endeavouring  ti) 
rectify  mistakes  and  smooth  down  difficulties.  To 
a  civilian  unac(juainted  with  the  working  of  an  army, 
and  the  manner  in  which  various  duties  are  classified, 
divided  and  subdivided  amongst  ranks  and  individ- 
uals, each  having  their  special  work  assigned  to 
them,  sucli  a  scene  must  have  been  like  Pande- 
monium let  loose. 

The  boats  being  duly  loaded,  the  crews  were  put 
into  them.  In  more  than  one  instance  it  was  found 
that  the  men  when  placed  on  the  thwarts  had  no 
room  to  stretch  their  legs  so  as  to  enable  them  to 
row,  and  a  restowage  of  cargo  had  therefore  to  be 
efifected.  All  w^ere  laden  to  the  utmost  extent  com- 
patible with  safety.  Up  to  a  late  hour  tlie  proper 
number  of  voyageurs  had  not  arrived.  The  original 
intention  Avas  to  have  three  in  each  boat  who  were 
to  steer  it,  and  manage  it  when  in  rapid  water — an 
art  of  itself  requiring  great  nerve  as  well  as  length- 
ened experience. 

At  the  last  moment  the  number  per  boat  had  to 
be  reduced  to  two,  more  not  being  forthcoming. 

The  sun  had  disappeared  for  some  time  ere,  all 
being  in  readiness,  the  order  was  given  for  this  first 


THE   1:EI>   KIVEK   EXrEDlTION. 


2G9 


(lutachiucnt  to  **  shove  olF."  It  consistiMl  of  two  com- 
panies of  the  GOth  IJitk^s,  a  (h'taelinieiit  of  iJoyal 
Kngineers  and  of  Iloyiil  AitiHeiy,  with  two  7-pouiulei' 
guns,  all  under  command  of  Colonel  Feilden  of  the 
OOth. 

The  wind  had  died  away  completely,  leaving  tlie 
surface  of  the  lake  calm  as  a  mirror,  wherein  was 
reflected  only  the  mist  of  the  approaching  evening. 
There  was  no  hum  of  birds  or  insects  from  the  woods 
which  fringed  its  shores,  no  swallows  rippled  its 
smoothness  in  their  hunt  after  an  evening  meal. 
Except  at  this  little  spot,  where  we  were  all  hustle 
and  excitement,  the  scene  had  the  stillness  of  death 
ahout  it,  which  in  the  distance  seemed  all  the  more 
deathlike  from  the  contrast  between  it  and  the  noise 
immediately  around  us.  This  absence  of  animal  or 
even  insect  life  in  the  Xorth  American  woods  is  one 
of  their  most  striking  characteristics. 

It  was  a  pretty  sight  to  see  this  little  flotilla  of 
boats  row  off  over  the  lake  whilst  it  still  glowed 
with  the  golden  tinges  of  the  sun's  last  rays.  It 
called  to  mind  many  an  account  read  in  early  youth 
of  very  similar  scenes,  wlien  freebooting  Xorsemen 
weighed  anchor  and  shook  out  their  sails  in  some 
secluded  inlet  bent  upon  adventure.  Except  that  we 
had  rilled  guns  and  cannon,  our  e(|uipment  and  our 
arrangements  for  overcoming  the  obstacles  of  nature 
were  of  a  most  primitive  description.  It  seemed 
curious  that  a  military  expedition  should  be  fitted 


■    ' 


t! 


I  t 


! 


t 

1  i  ■ 


I 


i 
':  1 

1     : 
'1     ] 
1     J 

i    ; 
i 

1 

i 

i 


:■' 

1 

,  ',1 

i  ;      ■• 

1 

1 

1     1 

1'       ^' 

270 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


out  in  such  an  advanced  era  of  civilisation,  in  an 
age  so  justly  celebrated  for  its  inventions  and  its 
progress  in  those  arts  and  sciences  which  now  enter 
so  largely  into  the  organisation  of  armies,  a^id  yet 
that  it  shoidd  not  be  possible  to  enlist  into  its  services 
the  aid  either  of  steam  or  of  the  electric  telegraph. 
The  sail  and  the  oar  were  to  be  our  means  of  pro- 
pulsion, as  they  had  been  those  of  the  Greeks  and 
Eomans  in  classic  times ;  and  when  arrived  at  the 
end  of  our  600  miles'  journey,  we  should  have  as 
much  difficulty  and  as  far  to  send  in  order  to 
communicate  with  even  the  nearest  telegraph  office, 
as  Caisar's  messenger  to  Rome,  who  carried  the 
news  of  the  successful  descent  upon  our  shores 
more  than  1900  years  ago. 

All  sorts  of  melancholy  prophecies  had  been  pub- 
lished in  the  papers  as  to  the  dangers  we  should  have 
to  encounter.  AVe  were  to  be  devoured  by  mosquitoes 
and  other  flies.  It  was  said  the  Indians  themselves 
could  not  live  in  the  woods  during  July  ;  others  who 
knew  the  country  declared  that  the  heat  was  then  so 
stifling  that  the  most  acclimatised  hunters  had  to 
forsake  them,  and  seek  for  air  and  breath  along  the 
shores  of  Lake  Superior.  ^lany  asserted  that  the 
Indians  would  never  permit  us  to  pass  through  their 
country  without  enforciiig  the  payment  of  a  large 
subsidy ;  whilst  many  laughed  at  the  notion  of  ever 
attempting  to  make  the  journey  to  Fort  Garry  in 
anything   except   bark  canoes   manned  by   Indians. 


THE   KED   KIVER   EXPEDITION. 


271 


1,  in  an 
and  its 
>w  enter 
and  yet 
services 
legraph. 

of  pro- 
iks  and 

at  the 
lave  as 
'der    to 

office, 
ed    the 

shores 

n  pub- 
1  have 
uitoes 
iselves 
who 
lien  so 
id  to 
the 
the 
their 
large 
ever 
■y  in 
iuns. 


(T 


AVhen  told  of  the  description  of  boats  wo  were 
taking  Avith  us,  some  pitied  ns  as  p(^or  deluded 
people,  totally  ignorant  of  what  Avas  liefore  us ; 
whilst  all  these  wiseacres  seemed  to  consider  us  as 
men  wliom  the  gods  having  doomed  to  destruction 
had  first  hccrazed. 

Sensil)le  men  who  had  but  recently  returned  /•/'/ 
the  United  States  from  ^Manitoba  said  that  our 
f^rce  ought  at  least  to  bo  three  times  stronger  than 
it  was :  that  Eiel  was  on  the  look-out  for  our  ad- 
vance, and  intended  to  defend  step  by  stop  and 
mile  by  mile  the  difficult  C(Hmtry  we  should  hav<i 
to  pass  through,  where  a  few  good  huntsmen,  ac- 
customed to  the  woods,  could  annihilate  an  army ; 
in  fact,  that  General  Braddock's  fate  was  in  st<>r(} 
for  us.  Sec,  Sec.  Xever  did  any  expedition  have 
more  lugul)rious  prophecies  made  concerning  it. 

From  time  to  time  the  soldiers  were,  however, 
encouraged  by  intelligence  received  from  lied  liivc^r 
announcing  Kiel's  determination  to  shew  fight.  The 
work  on  the  Kaministiquia  River  had  been  so  very 
severe,  and  that  of  road-making — always  dist;isteful 
to  soldiers — so  very  Avearisome,  that  idl  looked  for- 
ward to  the  embarkation  at  Shelmndowan  Lake  as 
a  relief  from  toil,  or  at  least  regarded  it  as  a  new 
phase  in  the  undertaking  whose  novelty  alone  woidd 
compensate  for  any  drawbacks  attendant  upon  it. 
From  the  1st  June  to  the  16th  July  (when  tliis  first 
detachment  started)  it  had  rained  upon  twenty-three 


I! 


)    I 


272 


TKAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


I 


(lays.  Fine  "weather  always  clieers  men  up  Avlien  in 
the  field ;  and  as  tlie  embarkation  took  place  on  a 
lovely  day,  this  fact,  added  to  the  novelty  of  the 
operation,  raised  our  animal  spirits.  Even  the  few 
of  a  desponding  temperament,  who  for  some  time 
before  liad  never  ceased  repeating  that  a  start  was 
out  of  the  question  "for  a  long  time" — even  these 
men  were  seen  to  smile  with  gratification  as  the  boats 
pushed  off  from  shore,  the  men  cheering  for  "  Fort 
Garry." 

Xo  men  ever  began  an  undertaking,  notwith- 
standing the  evil  forebodnigs  of  croakers,  with 
lighter  hearts ;  every  man  seemed  as  if  he  was 
embarking  at  Eichmond  for  a  pleasure-trip  on  tlie 
river;  and  all,  the  private  just  as  much  as  the 
ofHcer,  appeared  to  take  a  real  earnest  interest  in 
their  work.  They  were  pictures  of  good  health  and 
soldier-like  condition.  "Whilst  stationed  at  Prince 
Arthur's  Landing,  and  the  other  larger  camps,  the 
men  had  fresh  meat,  bread,  and  potatoes  every  day. 
No  spirits  were  allowed  throughout  tlie  journey  to 
Fort  Garry,  but  all  ranks  had  daily  a  large  ration 
of  tea.  This  was  one  of  the  very  few  military  ex- 
peditions ever  undertaken  by  English  troops  where 
intoxicating  liquor  formed  no  part  of  the  daily  ration. 
It  was  an  experiment  based  upon  the  practice  common 
in  Canada,  where  the  lumbermen,  who  spend  the 
whole  winter  in  the  backwoods,  employed  upon  the 
hardest  labour,  and  exposed  to  a  freezing  temperature, 


THE   RED   RIVER   EXPEDITIOX. 


273 


wlien  in 
ce  on  ii 
of  the 
the  few 
lie  time 
;art  was 
311  these 
le  boats 
.'  ''Fort 

lotwith- 

?,    with 

he    was 

on  tlie 

as  the 

prest  in 

th  and 

Prince 

IS,  the 

|iy  day. 

ney  to 

ration 

iiy  ox- 

wheve 

nation. 

immon 

Id   the 

n  the 

lature. 


are  allowed  no  spirits,  bnt  have  an  nnlimited  quantity 
of  tea.  Our  old-fashioned  generals  accept,  without 
auy  attempt  to  question  its  truth,  the  traditional 
theory  of  rum  l)eing  essential  to  keep  British  soldiers 
in  health  and  humour.  Let  us  hope  that  the  ex- 
perience we  have  acquired  during  the  Ked  River 
Expedition  may  have  buried  for  ever  this  old-fogyish 
superstition.  Xever  have  the  soldiers  of  any  nation 
been  called  upon  to  perform  more  unceasingly  hard 
work;  and  it  may  be  confidently  asserted,  without 
dread  of  contradiction,  that  no  men  have  ever  been 
more  cheerful  or  better  behaved  in  every  respect. 
Xo  spirit  -  ration  means  no  crime ;  and  even  the 
doctors,  who  anticipated  serious  illness  froui  the 
absence  of  liquor,  will  allow  that  no  troops  have 
ever  been  healthier  than  -we  were  from  the  beginning 
to  the  end  of  the  operation.  "With  the  exception  of 
slight  cases  of  diarrhcea,  arising  from  change  of 
diet,  it  may  be  said  that  sickness  was  unknown 
amongst  us. 

The  same  busy  scene  was  repeated  daily  up  to  the 
2d  August,  when  the  last  detachment  started.  The 
weather  had  improved  greatly,  and  remained  good 
until  nearly  the  end  of  August,  when  it  again  turned 
to  rain.  The  exj^editionary  force,  from  front  to  rear, 
covered  the  route  for  150  miles ;  but  as  arrangc^ments 
had  been  made  for  communicating  and  sending  mess- 
ages either  backwards  or  forwards,  and  as  the  officer 
commanding'  the  whole  force  travelled  about  in  a  bark 


■b 


<      : 


L. 


274 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


!,ll 


II ' 


,1  ! 


;!ii 


!; 


canoe,  well  manned  by  Indians,  gouv:  from  one  de- 
tachment to  another  as  he  considered  necessary,  all 
Avere  well  in  hand,  and  under  his  control  for  concentra- 
tion at  any  time,  should  circumstances  have  required 
it.  The  officer  commanding  each  l)rigade  had  been 
furnished  with  a  map  of  the  route,  which,  although 
far  from  accurate,  gave  a  sufficiently  detailed  delinea- 
tion of  the  country  to  enable  them  to  steer  their  course 
by  compass  across  the  large  lakes.  AVe  had  been 
promised  an  ample  supply  of  guides,  but  only  very 
few  were  fortlicoming  when  required. 

The  officer  representing  the  Canadian  Government 
with  us,  whose  duty  it  was  to  have  furnished  them, 
found  at  the  last  moment  that  the  Indians  he  had 
depended  upon  to  act  in  this  capacity  held  back, 
and  refused  the  "job"  upon  all  sorts  of  excuses.  The 
2:)riesthood  of  Canada  being  much  opposed  to  this 
Expedition,  had  preached  it  down  everywhere ;  and 
there  can  be  little  doubt  that  priestly  influence  was 
brought  to  bear  upon  the  Christian  Indians  settled 
near  Fort  AVilliam,  to  prevent  them  from  acting 
as  our  guides.  These  Indians  are  partially  civilised, 
many  of  them  speak  French,  and  a  considerable  pro- 
portion can  write  their  own  language  in  a  character 
which  has  been  invented  especially  for  them.  They 
live  in  houses  clustered  together  on  both  banks  of 
the  Kaministiquia,  a  few  miles  above  wdiere  it  falls 
into  Lake  Superior.  The  village,  for  such  it  may 
be  called,    is   known   as   the    "  ^Eission,"    from   th«' 


II 


THE   RED   RIVER   EXPEDITION. 


275 


one  (.I(j- 
sary,  all 
ncentra- 
requirecl 
ad  been 
ilthough 
delinea- 
ir  course 
\d  been 
ily  very 

ernment 

:1  them, 

he  had 

d  back, 

es.    The 

to   tliis 

I'e;  and 

.ce  was 

settled 

actmg 

Ivilised, 

lie  pro- 

aracter 

They 

.nks  of 

Lt  falls 

t  may 

n   the 


1 


Jesuit  establishment  there.  They  cultivate  small 
patches  of  ground ;  but  their  chief  means  of  obtain- 
ing a  livelihood  is  by  hunting  and  fishing,  and  l^y 
-working  for  the  Hudson  I>ay  Company  as  voyageurs 
on  tlie  inland  rivers,  transporting  goods  from  one 
post  to  the  others.  This  Exi)edition  to  Red  River 
■would  have  been  a  godsend  to  them  if  they  had 
not  been  tampered  with,  as  it  would  have  afforded 
them  lucrative  employment.  They  know  every 
river,  lake,  and  portage  in  the  country  as  far  as 
Fort  Francis ;  and  in  previous  years,  when  exploring 
and  surve}'ing  parties  had  been  at  work  in  their 
country,  they  had  done  good  service  in  a  most  willing 
and  cheerful  manner. 

They  are  a  simple-minded  but  very  superstitious 
race,  easily  ruled  by  the  Jesuit  Father  who  has  spent 
his  life  amongst  them  doing  good.  Rumour  was  busy 
at  this  village  frightening  them  with  stories  of  liiel's 
determination  to  fight,  and  of  the  great  numbers  of 
armed  men  at  his  back.  These  Christian  Chippewahs 
have  an  extraordinary  dread  of  war — so  much  so,  tliat 
■when  we  had  reached  Fort  Francis,  the  few  who  did 
accompany  us  so  far  became  terror-stricken  l)y  the 
warlike  reports  that  Riel's  emissaries  had  spread 
amongst  the  Indians  in  that  district,  and  ])ositively 
refused  to  go  any  fartlier.  When  a  little  coercion 
was  tried  by  telling  them  that  we  could  not  afford  to 
give  them  any  provisions  to  take  them  back  to  their 
homes  unless  they  kept  with  us,  they  bewailed  their 


)  I   I 


1 1  ' 


i '  I 


M:^:! 


I; 


J 


\     : 


ii  : 


'  1 

;'  ;'■■ 

l.i 

i 

j 

i 

,,.i. 

! 

1 

ii' 

276 


TRAVEL,   ADVf:NTURE,   AND   SPORT. 


fate,  many  of  tliom  with  tears,  saying  tliey  Avould  risk 
anytliing  sooner  tlian  go  on  wliere  there  was  to  ho 
figliting — tlieir  determination  was  not  to  he  shaken  hy 
any  argnments  or  i)romises.  'J'lie  warlike  cliaracter- 
istics  for  wliicli  tlie  Xorth  American  Indian  was  so 
celeljrated,  if  they  are  faitlifully  descrihed  in  "  liia- 
watlia "  and  Cooper's  novels,  have  disappeared  even 
from  the  once  celehrated  tril)e  of  Irroqnois.  Of  this 
latter  race  we  liad  a  considerahle  numher  as  voyagenrs, 
a  large  proportion  of  whom  were  most  anxious  to  tnrii 
back  from  Fort  Francis  when  they  heard  the  startling 
accounts  of  tlie  nundjer  of  Kiel's  followers,  and  of  his 
determination  to  fight.  Their  minds  were  only  to  ha 
quieted  by  assuring  them  of  tlic  falseness  of  tliesc 
rumours. 

Shehandowan  Lake,  about  20  miles  long  and  a  few 
wide,  running  in  a  ^V.  by  X.  direction,  has  no  strik- 
ing features  to  distinguish  it  from  thousands  of  other 
lakes  in  Canada.  It  lias  about  the  same  proportion 
of  islands,  and  the  same  cliffless  shore  common  to 
nearly  all  of  them.  ^Vs  it  is  almost  at  the  summit 
level  forming  the  watershed  between  the  basins  of 
the  St  Lawrence  and  the  rivers  wliich  flow  into  Hud- 
son Lay,  no  mountains  abut  upon  it,  although  there 
are  some  hills  in  the  distance.  The  north  side  had 
been  burnt  over  for  miles  inland,  where  blackened 
trunks  stood  up  against  the  sky-line  as  one  viewed 
tlie  shore  from  tlie  boats.  For  miles  raspberry -bushes 
liad  taken  tlie  place  of  the  destroyed  forest,  the  fruit 


m 

SIS 

M 


THE   KED    KIVER   EXrEDITION. 


•J77 


aild  risk 
IS  to  bo 
taken  l)y 
laracter- 

wa.s  so 

1  ^'Ilia- 

ed  even 

Of  this 

yageurs, 

to  turn 
startling 
d  of  liis 
ly  to  be 
)f  these 

A  a  few 

0  strik- 

)f  otJier 

portion 

mon  to 

ummit 

sins  of 

0  liud- 

tliere 

le  liad 

kened 

,'i(nved 

)uslies 

fruit 


of  wliich  supplied  a  good  supper  to  tlie  several  dt»- 
tachments  tliat  had  to  spend  the  evening  there.  Tlu^ 
southern  side  is  thickly  wooded  with  very  poor  tinil)er, 
[loplar  being  the  prevailing  tree  ;  indeed  there  is  so 
iinK'li  rock  and  so  little  soil  everywhere  in  tliis  vicinity, 
that  it  is  only  wonderful  how  anything  can  grow.  A 
portage  of  al)Out  three-quarters  of  a  mile  took  us  into 
another  lake  about  8  miles  long,  our  c(jurse  over  which 
was  due  north  ;  Lac  des  ^lille  Lacs  was  reached  from 
it  by  a  portage  of  over  a  mile  in  length.  The  latter 
is  a  curiously-shaped  and  straggling  expanse  of  wattn*, 
ill  wliich  there  are  islands  witliout  number,  many 
being  of  sufficient  size  to  have  great  bays  stretching 
for  miles  into  them.  One  island  so  closely  resembles 
another  that  it  is  wonderful  hoAV  any  of  us  found  our 
way  over  the  20  miles  to  ha  travelled  before  we 
reached  the  next  portage.  Even  the  brigade,  fur- 
iiislied  with  the  most  experienced  guides,  strayed 
sometimes  for  hours  out  of  their  course.  Steerinix 
solely  by  the  compass  took  one  repeatedly  into  these 
large  bays ;  and  nothing  is  more  disheartening  than 
finding  one's  self  in  a  rid  dc  sac  after  a  2:)ull  for  many 
miles  up  one  of  these  bays,  and  having  to  row^  back 
again  to  search  for  another  passage.  Immediately  as 
we  passed  out  of  this  lake  Ave  had  the  stream  with  us 
all  the  rest  of  our  voyage. 

Having  steered  for  about  the  first  5  miles  over  this 
lake  a  X.W.  course,  the  general  direction  for  inore 
than  100  miles  is  8.AV.  :  a  slight  detour  is  then  made 


Hi 


VOL.    I. 


T 


11 


ii! 


!!  i; 


!l  :  I 


i 


i  i  '! 


278 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SrORT. 


to  the  south,  and  tlio  rest  of  the  journey  as  far  a.s 
Fort  Francis  is  in  a  X.AV.  direction. 

AVe  shall  not  weary  the  reader  with  descriptions 
of  the  many  lakes  and  rivers  and  dreary  portages 
passed  over  during  the  journey,  but  in  order  to  give 
a  general  idea  of  the  country,  we  shall  divide  it  into 
three  sections  :  the  first,  Ijetween  Shebandowan  and 
Fort  Francis ;  the  second,  from  thence  to  Fort  Alex- 
ander ;  and  the  third,  from  that  place  to  Fort  Garry, 
the  objective  point  of  the  Expedition. 

The  first  section  is  a  dreary  region — unfit,  from  its 
sterile  barrenness,  for  man's  habitation.  Iiock,  water, 
and  stunted  trees  everywhere.  When  it  was  neces- 
sary to  pitch  tents,  we  seldom  found  enough  soil  for 
the  pegs  to  support  them,  and  were  forced  to  use 
large  stones  instead.  The  surface  is  covered  with 
moss,  which  in  some  places  was  so  thick  that,  with  a 
blanket  rolled  round  one,  our  bivouac  had  all  the 
softness  of  a  luxurious  spring  bed.  The  blueberry- 
bushes  were  in  full  fruit  as  we  went  along,  affording 
us  many  a  good  meal,  and  enabling  us  to  vary  the 
usua]  menu  of  salt-pork  and  biscuit.  AVe  met  nu- 
merous families  of  Indians,  who  thronged  round  Our 
boats  begging  for  provisions.  They  were  an  intoler- 
able nuisance,  and  so  very  dirty  that  their  presence 
gives  one  a  sort  of  creeping  sensation.  It  was  curious 
to  see  them  arrive  at  a  portage,  a  family  travelling 
generally  in  two  or  three  canoes.  The  lord  and  master 
would  step  ashore,  pull  his  canoe  up,  and  shouldering 


;  [:■ 


THE    KEl)    IIIVEK    EXPEDITIOX. 


270 


T^- 

«« 

) ; 

1 

\ 

J 


liis  gun  woiikl  stalk  olY  to  the  other  side,  leaving  his 
wife  or  wives,  as  the  case  might  he,  ixnd  })erhaps  liis 
luotlier,  to  carryover  the  canoes  and  all  theii  worldly 
'^oods. 

We  were  once  pointed  out  an  old  woman  who  some 
years  ago  had  supported  life,  Avhen  in  a  starving  con- 
dition, hy  eating  human  flesh — l)y  no  means  an  ex- 
traordinary or  unusual  occurrence  amongst  those 
people  when  in  such  straits.  8h(3  was  eertainly  a 
most  loathsome  creature  to  look  at  ;  her  face  was  so 
deeply  wrinkled,  and  the  wrinkles  so  full  of  dirt,  that 
slie  seemed  as  if  tattooed. 

AVe  generally  spared  these  poor  creatures  a  little 
from  our  rati(m  :  whatever  we  gave  them  was  put  into 
a  pot,  in  which  was  l)oiled  together  pork,  Hour,  l)lue- 
herries,  tisli,  hiscuit,  i^'C,  ^c.  Xo  two  things  C(tuld 
he  too  inconij:ruous  to  be  l)oil(Ml  at  the  same  time. 
They  never  roast,  grill,  or  stew,  hoiling  being  their 
sole  idea  t)f  the  culinary  art.  1'hey  were  very  fond 
of  the  water  in  which  the  pork  was  boiled,  drinking 
it  freely,  as  if  it  was  some  delicious  beverage.  They 
generally  carried  in  their  canoes  a  fish -skin  bottle 
tilled  Avith  sturgeon -oil,  of  which  they  took  copious 
draughts  at  times.  The  women  wear  their  hair  in 
<^ne  long  plait  hanging  down  behind,  the  men  in  two, 
very  often  joined  at  the  ends.  So  very  beardless  arc 
the  men,  that  when  one  meets  a  canoe  with  Indians 
sitting  in  it,  there  might  often  be  difficulty  in  distin- 
guishing the  sexes,  if  it  were  not  for  this  variety  in 


■-i^n" 


M 


ii 


11 1 


ill. 


280 


TllAVEL,   ADVEXTUKE,   AND   SPORT. 


tli(3  nuiiiltcr  of  |>laits  with  wliicli  tlioy  arc  ^v>//)'.«,.  Tliu 
Wftriu'ii  uhviiys  wear  k*^'giM«j;s  from  the  knee  to  tlic 
ankle,  witli  a  petticoat  reaching  to  tlie  calf  of  the  leg  ; 
an  open  cloth  jacket,  witli  a  sort  of  boddice  snpportiMl 
hy  1  (races  over  the  slioiilders,  completes  their  costume. 
The  men  were  generally  clothed  in  woollen  garments, 
mostly  of  ([uaint  old-fashioned  patterns  purchased  at 
the  Hudson  Bay  posts.  Having  become  accustomed 
to  the  coats  made  in  the  style  common  here  a  hundred 
years  ago,  the  Indians  will  not  purchase  those  of  any 
other  pattern  ;  so  that  the  Company,  who  have  their 
tailoring  done  in  London,  liave  to  get  the  clothes  they 
require  for  exportation  made  accordingly.  Unlike  their 
squawks,  they  almost  always  wear  some  sort  of  shirt ; 
and  although  they  are  frecpiently  without  trousers, 
they  never,  from  earliest  boyhood,  go  without  a 
breech-cloth.  They  seldom  or  never  build  a  hut  of 
even  the  roughest  description,  living,  as  their  ances- 
tors have  done  for  centuries,  in  wigwams  made  with 
birch-bark  stretched  over  poles  driven  into  the  grou  1 
in  a  circle,  and  all  meeting  at  the  toj5.  An  aperture 
is  left  to  serve  as  a  chimney,  for  they  light  a  fire  and 
cook  Avithin  during  cold  weather.  The  space  left  as 
a  door  is  closed  by  a  curtain.  Altogether  it  is  a  cold 
residence  in  a  climate  where  the  Fahrenheit  thermo- 
meter ranges  for  months  from  zero  to  many  degrees 
below  it. 

During  the  whole  of  our  journey  to  Fort  Francis 
w^e  seldom  had  a  favourable  wind.      Althoucrh  this 


>i 


I 


THE   RED   RIVER   EXrKDITIOX. 


2S1 


\. 


's.    The 

to    tllC 

ihe  leg ; 

ppnrt(.'(| 

ostume. 

riiicnts, 

ased  at 

istoiiicd 

lundrt'd 

of  any 

^'e  tlicir 

es  they 

ke  their 

I  shirt ; 

rou.sers, 

hoiit    a 

hut  of 

anccs- 

e  with 

grou.  1 

3ertur«' 

ire  and 

left  as 

a  cold 

liernio- 

legrees 

.^rancis 
i\\  this 


iulded  greatly  to  our  lahour  at  the  oar,  still  it  Mew  us 
line  weather.  Easterly  winds  in  these  regions  hring 
till)  evaporati(tns  from  the  great  lakes,  whieh  Itreak 
into  heavy  showers  of  rain  agiunst  the  hills  forming 
the  height  of  land.  Most  of  the  rain  we  had  fell  at 
ni'^ht ;  and  if  we  occasionally  had  a  wet  bivouac,  wood 
was  i)lentiful,  and  we  were  ahle  to  dry  ourselves  easily 
hefore  large  lires.  Xow  ;ind  then  we  got  a  slant  of 
wind,  and  when  the;  weather  was  tine;  there  were 
ample  materials  for  the  artist's  brush,  the  whiti^  sails 
standing  out  so  well  against  the  dark-green  foliage 
connnon  to  every  island  and  shore  throughout  the 
route. 

The  only  difficult  and  dangerous  rapids  in  this  sec- 
tion were  on  the  Sturgeon  liiver,  whert;  extreme  care 
is  necessary  in  running  them.  A  nundier  of  Iri'oipiois 
wer  permanently  stationed  there  until  all  the  troops 
had  gone  by,  who  took  dinvn  every  Ijoat,  only  one 
being  totally  wrecked.  It  is  a  tini;  sight  to  watch 
these  splendid  boa  '  len  taking  a  boat  down  a  rapid. 
Four  generally  rtjweu  )r  paddled  ;  two  others  steered, 
with  large-sized  paddles — one  in  the  bow,  the  other  in 
the  stern.  The  post  of  honour  is  in  the  bow  ;  and  it 
was  curious  to  see  liow  their  eyes  sparkled  witii  liery 
enthusiasm  as  they  a^'proached  the  roaring,  seething 
waters,  where  the  l>reaking  of  a  paddle,  or  a  false 
movement  of  any  sort,  would  send  the  avIkjIc  crew  to 
certain  d  \'itli.  They  seemed  thoroughly  at  home  at 
the  most  tvyirig  moment ;  for  there  is  generally  in  all 


■1 


^ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-S) 


<- 

^i^ 


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1.0 


1.1 


■  50     ""^^ 


2.5 
2.2 


M    12.0 


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^;. 


'/ 


Ov^lol  cl  ^C!yO 


Corporation 


23  WEST  MAIN  STREET 

WEBSTER,  N.Y.  MSSO 

(716)  S72-4S03 


^ 


^ 

^ 


«■ 


^ 


i!  i 


ft 


282 


TIIAVEL,   ADVEXTUIJK,    AND   SPOKT. 


i    ! 


n    ! 


rapids  one  particular  s}»ot — perhaps  wliere  soino  back 
eddy  from  a  rock  tends  to  suck  in  everytliing  that  aji- 
proaches — tliat  is  tlic  climax  of  the  dan-^'er,  which,  if 
passed  safely,  the  rest  is  easy  sailini;-.  'J'he  intensity 
of  the  look  with  which  they  regard  the  rushing  water 
in  front  of  them  whilst  every  fd)re  in  their  powerful 
frames  is  at  its  utmost  tension,  is  a  thing  to  be  ad- 
mired, l)ut  not  to  be  descri1)ed  in  words,  nor  even  on 
canvas.  There  is  a  mixture  of  extreme,  almost  un- 
earthly, enjoyment,  alloyed  with  a  realisation  of  the 
danger  to  l)e  encountered,  in  their  expression,  which 
we  never  remember  havimj;  seen  in  anv  face  before, 
except  in  the  countenance  of  soldiers  at  the  hottest 
moment  of  a  storming-party.  It  Ijespoke  the  earnest- 
ness of  men  prepared  to  dare  anytliing,  and  who 
jijloried  and  revelled  in  the  attendant  dauLjer. 

Our  daily  routine  was  as  follows :  At  the  first 
streak  of  daylight  (occasionally  long  before  it)  the 
rheUJn  was  sounded,  followed  (puckly  by  a  cry  of 
"  Fort  Garry  "  from  every  tent  or  bivouac  tire.  This 
was  the  watchword  of  the  force,  as  "  Arms,  men,  and 
canoes  "  ("  Anna  virumque  cano  ")  was  the  punning 
moiio  adopted  for  us  by  our  witty  cliaplahi.  Tents 
were  struck  and  stowed  away  in  the  l)oats,  and  all 
were  soon  on  board  and  workin!:^  hard  at  the  oar. 
We  halted  for  an  hour  at  8  a.m.  for  breakfast,  and 
again  for  another  hour  for  dinner  at  1  p.m.,  and  finally 
for  the  night  about  6  or  7  p.m.  It  was  surprising, 
after  the  first  wreck's  practice,  to  see  the  rapidity  with 


first 


THE   RED    lilVEII    EXI'EDITIOX. 


L>83 


whicli  thu  men  cot.kfd:  tlu-y  4iiickly  becainc  most 
(Xpert  at  lightiiiL,'  fires,  cuttinLj  down  tn-es,  iVc,  ^Vc. 
Thf  sun  soon  burnt  tlieni  a  dark  colour  :  indeed 
some  beeame  nearly  black,  tbe  rellection  froi^i  the 
water  liaviu'^  a  verv  bronzinij;  eirect  ui)on  tli(»  skin. 
Tilt'  ^vcar  and  tear  uj)()n  tlieir  clothes  »vas  cxc<'ssive  : 
larryin.u-  loads  on  their  backs  toi-c  thcii'  shirts  and 
cuats,  whilst  the  constant  friction  from  rowing  soon 
wore  large  holes  in  their  trousers,  which,  being  patched 
with  canvas  from  the  bags  in  whicli  the  l^eans  or  otlujr 
provisions  had  been  carried,  gave  them  a  most  motley 
appearance.  Leading  a  sort  of  aniphil)ious  life,  they 
Were  well  nicknamed  the  "  canvas  -  backed  ducks." 
This  constant  pulling  was  very  monotonous  employ 
iiient ;  but  we  had  a  goal  to  reach,  and  all  felt  that 
everv  stroke  of  the  oar  brought  us  nearer  to  it.  Tlie 
long  portages  were  most  trying  to  the  pluck  and 
endurance  of  our  men,  and  it  is  very  ([uestionable 
whether  the  soldiers  of  any  other  nation  M'ould  or 
could  have  gone  through  the  same  amount  of  phys- 
ical labour  that  fell  to  our  lot  daily.  It  is  upon 
such  occasions  that  we  learn  to  appreciate  the  full 
value  of  the  ]]ritish  officer.  He  may  be  idle  in 
peace,  but  the  very  amusements  of  his  idle  hours — 
boating,  shooting,  hunting,  cricket,  c^'c,  t^'c. — lit  hhii 
to  Gliine,  wdien  hi\rd  work  has  to  be  done,  ui  a  manner 
that  would  be  impossible  to  the  officers  of  most  other 
armies.  Our  officers  carried  barrels  of  pork  and  other 
loads  on  their  backs  like  the  men  ;  and  the  emulation 


?         ■ 

i 

( 
1 

ll 


, 


i?l 


11 


.  ■     » 

i 


•"%*' 


13  ' 


284 


TliAVEL,   ADVENTUKE,   AND   SPOKT. 


iiif 


'! 


and  riviilry  iM'twccii  tlie  captains  of  companies,  each 
beinj;  afraid  that  lie  sliould  l)e  passed  in  tlie  race,  soon 
S2)rea(l  to  all  ranks.  You  had  oidy  to  tell  a  <letaoh- 
ment  that  some  other  company  had  done  a  thing  "with- 
out any  great  effort,  to  ensure  its  prompt  execution. 
There  was  also  called  into  play  the  rivalry  l)etween 
the  regulars  and  the  militia.  The  latter  were  deter- 
mined that,  no  matter  what  the  former  did,  they 
would  not  he  beaten.  The  regulars  were  in  fr(mt  all 
the  time.  One  had  only  to  tell  them  that  they  were 
making  so  little  progress  that  the  militia  complained 
of  l)eing  kept  hack  by  their  slowness,  to  cause  them 
to  i)ush  ahead  at  any  rcipiired  speed ;  and,  virf 
vevfio,  if  you  told  the  nJlitia  that  the  regulars  were 
running  away  from  them,  each  successive  com}>any 
hurried  on  until  those  in  the  immediate  front  were 
overtaken.  Indeed  it  may  be  said  that  each  detach- 
ment trod  ui)on  the  heels  of  the  one  before  it,  all 
Were  so  eager  to  get  on.  At  some  shallow  places  the 
men  had  to  get  into  the  water,  and  pull  their  boats 
along  after  them.  Occasionally  it  was  necessary  to  un- 
load them  i)artially  or  entirely,  the  boats  being  then  run 
down  rajnds,  or  hauled  over  the  shallow  spots  into 
deep  water,  where  they  were  reloaded,  their  cargoes 
being  carried  along  the  banks  by  the  soldiers.  At 
times  it  blew  very  hard  from  the  west,  so  that  many 
detachments  were  detained  orxC  or  two  days  on  some 
of  the  large  lakes,  unable  even  to  start. 

A  voyage  ^V.  by  N.  of  forty  miles  across  Eainy 


I  ! 


ill 


THE   KED   KIVER   EXPEDITION. 


28.1 


Laku  takes  you  to  Ilainy  JJivcr,  upon  tlic  right  l^ank 
of  Avhich  stands  1m nt  Francis,  tw(j  miles  froui  tlie 
lake.  The  leading  detaclnnent  reached  this  jiost  on 
the  4th  August.  They  liad  done  two  hundred  miles 
ill  nineteen  days,  having  taken  tlieir  hoats,  stores,  iVc, 
vVc,  over  seventeen  portages  in  that  time,  and  having 
made  a  good  practicable  road  at  all  these  seventeen 
places.  The  troops  in  rear  of  them  were  able  to  make 
the  journey  (juicker,  as  they  found  a  made  road  and 
rollers  laid  down  for  the  boats  at  every  portage. 

Fort  Francis,  a  Hudson  ]>ay  Company  trading-post, 
is  exactly  due  west  from  Shebandowan  Lake.  It  is  a 
collection  of  one-storied  wooden  Iniildings  surrounded 
1)y  palisading.  Although  dignified  by  the  high-sound- 
im:  title  of  fort,  it  has  no  militarv  works  whatevt-r 
about  it.  The  river  bends  here,  so  that  immediately 
in  front  of  the  place  is  a  very  tine  fall,  aljout  twenty- 
two  feet  in  height,  from  below  which  the  broken, 
Itoiling,  bubbling  waters  send  up  volumes  of  spray, 
coverhig  the  land,  according  to  the  direction  of  th«' 
wind,  with  a  perpetually-fallhig  rain,  j'his,  and  the 
luxuriant  fertility  of  the  soil,  causes  the  banks  near 
it  to  be  clothed  with  grass  of  the  brightest  green, 
allbrding  the  richest  of  pasture.  After  the  wilderness 
of  water,  rock,  and  scrubby  wood  that  we  had  passed 
through,  the  sight  of  cattle  grazing,  and  of  ripe  wheat 
bending  before  the  lightest  wind  from  the  heaviness 
of  the  ear,  was  most  refreshing.  Only  a  few  acres 
were  under  cultivation,  although  there  was  a  consider- 


M 


II 


II 


It 


HR 


i^ii 


n 


2SG 


TRAVEL,   ADVENTUIiE,   AND   SPORT. 


able  clearance;  and  a  lar^^'c  extent  covered  with  bushes 
bore  evidence  to  there  having  been  liere  at  one  time  a 
g(jod-.sized  farm.  There  was  a  garden  close  to  the 
dwelling-house,  wliere  there  were  peas,  potatoes,  and 
onions  growing,  and  apparently  going  to  waste,  until 
we  arrived  to  partake  of  them. 

A  mill  for  grinding  corn  had  once  existed  here, 
there  being  water-power  f^nough  on  the  spot  to  drive 
every  mill  in  America,  but  it  had  disappeared.  There 
was  an  air  of  decay  and  neglect  about  the  whole  place 
that  bespoke  cither  poverty  or  want  of  energy  on  the 
part  of  those  in  charge.  The  half-breed  race  to  which 
the  officers  of  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  at  such  posts 
generally  belong  now  is  extremely  apathetic — there 
is  no  go-aheadness  about  it ;  and  in  these  out-of-th(  - 
way  localities  the  half-breeds  quickly  go  back  to  the 
manners,  customs,  and  mode  of  living  of  their  Indian 
mothers.  They  live  upon  fish  as  their  Indian  an- 
cestors did,  and,  like  them,  have  no  appreciation  of 
the  value  of  cleanliness  or  order. 

By  the  rules  of  the  Company  it  is  compulsory  to 
have  at  each  post  an  ice-house,  a  garden,  and  a  few 
cows ;  so  they  have  them,  but  they  seem  to  care  for 
none  of  these  things. 

The  fertile  belt  of  land  along  the  north  bank  of 
Eainy  Eiver  is  only  about  a  mile  in  width,  great 
swamps  existing  between  it  and  the  chain  of  lakes 
which  lies  to  the  northward.  There  had  been  a  large 
Indian  encampment    here  during  the  early  part  of 


TIIL   IJED  rJVEU   EXrEDITIOX. 


•287 


July,  it  beiii^i,'  a  great  annual  resort  for  tlic  siurouml- 
ing  tribes ;  but  tliis  summer,  as  tlicy  expected  our 
arrival  amongst  them,  they  had  collected  from  all 
([Uarters  in  the  hope  of  obtaining  i>resents.  They 
also  wished  to  appear  imposing  l)y  their  luimbers, 
so  as  to  enhance  the  value  (»f  their  goodwill  towards 
us,  and  to  impress  u[)on  the  white-faced  soldier  Imw 
formidable  they  might  be  as  enemies.  Unfortuiiately 
for  the  success  of  their  intentions,  we  were  not  ablo 
to  start  for  at  least  six  weeks  after  the  time  origin- 
ally i)roposed  for  our  departure  from  Shebandowan  ; 
so  that  as  days  wore  on  and  there  was  no  sign  of 
our  arrival,  the  crowd  grew  weary  of  waiting,  par- 
ticularly as  the  supply  of  fish  in  the  neighbourhood 
l)ecame  exhausted,  there  being  so  many  uKniths  to 
feed.  The  Government  had  early  in  the  preceding 
winter  sent  a  gentleman  to  Fort  Francis  for  the  pur- 
pose of  keeping  the  Indians  of  that  district  <piiet,  and 
preventing  them  from  being  tampered  with  l)y  Kiel. 
He  had  exerted  his  influence — which  was  consider- 
able— to  induce  them  to  disperse,  fearing  that  their 
presence  might  lead  to  collision  with  the  soldiery 
when  engaged  in  carrying  stores  and  boats  over  the 
portage  on  which  stood  the  Indian  wigwams.  His 
persuasions,  and  that  most  potent  of  arguments,  an 
empty  stomach,  soon  caused  them  to  leave ;  so  that 
when  we  arrived  not  more  than  about  a  dozen  lodges 
remained,  although  their  uncovered  poles  stood  thickly 
around,  reminding  one  of  the  way  poles  are  piled  to- 


i 


I  f' 


!  I  , 


,  , 


ii 


I 


288 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPOKT. 


gether  in  a  field  at  home  when  tlie  hops  have  heen 
picked. 

Colonel  AVolseley  had  several  "  pow-wows  ''  with 
those  tliat  remained.  A  hideous  old  chief  named 
Crooked-neck,  from  the  manner  in  which  his  head 
was  set  on  liis  shoulders,  was  the  principal  speaker. 
lie  was  very  old  and  very  dirty,  and,  in  the  name  of 
his  people,  made  most  exorbitant  demands  in  stating 
the  terms  on  which  they  were  prepared  to  allow  us 
permanently  to  open  out  a  route  through  their  terri- 
tory. There  was  much  difficulty  in  making  them 
understand  that  the  military  necessities  of  our  posi- 
tion rendered  it  impossible  for  us  to  have  brought 
tliem  up  large  presents,  but  that  whatever  it  was 
settled  by  the  Government  of  Canada  they  were  to 
receive  should  be  given  to  them  next  year.  There 
was  the  usual  talk  about  loyalty  to  the  Great  Mother, 
and  of  their  desire  to  live  on  good  terms  with  their 
white  brothers.  They  said  that  the  passage  of  so 
many  boats  through  their  waters  had  frightened  their 
fish,  so  that  but  little  was  now  to  be  had ;  and  com- 
plained of  our  men  having  at  many  places  thrown 
empty  barrels  into  the  rivers,  which  scared  the  pike 
and  sturgeon,  alleging  that  even  the  grease  from 
these  barrels  had  been  generally  destructive  to  fish 
of  all  sorts.  Some  one  had  put  this  idea  into  their 
heads,  and  there  was  no  eradicating  it. 

The  costumes  of  these  people  were  very  grotesque, 
and  all  the  warriors  painted  their  faces  most  fantasti- 


THE   IIED   RIVER   EXPEDITION. 


289 


cally  with  red,  yellow,  or  green.  A  tine  tall  fellow 
liad  one  side  of  his  face  painted  hlack  and  the  other 
red,  his  coat  being  also  of  two  eolonrs  similarly 
divided.  All  wore  a  blanket  wrapped  round  tlieir 
bodies,  which  gave  them  the  appearance  of  height. 

Fort  Francis,  or  rather  the  ground  about  it,  has  a 
sacred  repute  with  them  ;  and  here  take  place  an- 
nually their  medicine  ceremonies,  a  sort  of  secret 
orgie,  beginning  with  eating  the  flesh  of  dogs — white 
ones  if  they  are  to  be  had — and  ending  by  initiating 
tliose  anxious  for  instruction  into  various  mysteries, 
and  the  use  of  many  herbs. 

Previous  to  leaving  Prince  Arthur's  Landing, 
Colonel  "Wolseley  had  sent  a  proclamation  into  the 
Pied  River  Settlement,  informing  the  people  of  the 
objects  of  the  F^xpedition,  and  calling  upon  all  loyal 
men  to  assist  him  in  carrying  them  out.  Copies  of 
it  were  sent  to  the  Protestant  and  Poman  Catholic 
bishops,  also  to  the  Governor  of  the  Hudson  Pay 
Company  at  Fort  Garry,  who  Avere  at  the  same  time 
requested  by  letter  to  take  measures  for  pushing  on 
the  road  to  the  Lake  of  the  AVoods,  already  partially 
made.  It  was  never  anticipated  that  this  road  could 
be  completed  in  time  for  us  to  use  it,  even  should 
there  be  no  hostilities;  but  it  w^as  considered  ad- 
visable to  impress  Kiel  with  the  idea  that  we  in- 
tended advancing  by  that  route,  so  that,  in  case  he 
Avas  bent  upon  fighting,  he  would  frame  all  his 
calculations    upon    a   wrong   basis,    and    make    his 


{  . 


"yw^ 


u 


li    i 


!^     i' 


f         1 

1 

% 

1 

I 

! 
1 
) 

i 

1       I '  ! 

i 

290 


TllAVEL,   ADVENTURE,   AND   SPOUT. 


8t' 


preparations  aloii^-  it  for  our  reception.  Tliis  rm 
was  successful ;  for  we  learned  at  Fort  Francis  tliai 
lie  liad  armed  men  on  the  look-out  in  the  neighbouv- 
liood  of  where  he  thought  we  should  disembark  on 
tlie  shores  of  the  Lake  of  the  Woods.  A  loyal  half- 
breed  of  undoubted  character  had  been  despatched 
early  in  June  from  l*rince  ^Vrtliur's  Landin*'  for  th(.' 
jiurpose  of  going  into  the  lied  liiver  Settlement  by 
the  Lake  of  the  Woods  road,  and  of  obtaining  re- 
liable information  as  to  the  state  of  affairs  there  up 
to  the  latest  possible  date  that  he  could  remain, 
compatible  with  his  meeting  Colonel  AVolseley  at 
Fort  Francis  on  the  31st  July.  This  service  was 
faithfully  performed.  He  had  left  his  home  in  the 
Indian  settlement  on  the  lower  Eed  Kiver  on  the 
20th  July,  bringing  letters  for  that  officer  from  the 
Protestant  bishop  and  others,  containing  information 
as  to  the  supplies  of  fresh  l)eef  and  flour  we  could 
calculate  upon  obtaining  at  Fort  Garry,  and  interest- 
ing but  melancholy  accounts  of  how  things  stood 
there.  It  was  essential  that  the  commander  of  the 
Expedition  should  have  the  latest  and  most  reliable 
information  as  to  the  rebel  movements  and  liiel'.s 
intentions  before  leaving  Fort  Francis;  for  it  was 
necessary  to- decide  upon  the  final  plan  uf  operatie»n.s 
there,  as  beyond  that  place  we  should  be,  one  might 
say,  in  rebel  territory,  or  at  least  where  it  would 
always  be  possible  to  attack  us.  The  scanty  intel- 
ligence supplied  by  the  Canadian  ^Ministry  was  not 


THE   KKL)    IlIVKK    EXPEDITION. 


•201 


til  bo  relied  upon,  as  it  came  cliielly  from  tlisloyal 
sources,  and  liad  always  percolated  through  rehcl 
sympathising  channels  before  it  reuehed  us.  Tender 
any  c ire imi stances  it  is  difli*  idt  for  a  civilian  to 
cuUect  or  to  convey  useful  military  information. 
CJeneral  Lindsay  had  therefore  sent  a  sharp,  intel- 
ligent officer,  who  kne^v  the  nnrth-west  country  and 
its  people,  round  through  the  United  States  to  Pem- 
bhia,  with  instructions  to  act  upon  his  own  judgment 
as  to  his  farther  progress  from  thence,  but  under  any 
circumstances  to  adopt  measures  for  communicating 
with  Colonel  AVolseley  at  Fort  Francis.  He  was 
most  successful,  having  managed  to  get  to  the  Lower 
Fort,  where  he  remained  some  days  amongst  the 
loyal  inhabitants.  Leaving  on  the  24th  July,  by 
travelling  incessantly  he  reached  Fort  Francis  on 
the  same  day  as  the  leading  detachment  of  the  force. 
He  described  the  people  as  panic-stricken — the  Eng- 
lish- and  French-speaking  populations  being  mutually 
afraid  of  one  another,  and  both  Ijcing  in  the  direst 
dread  of  the  Indians.  The  messages  sent  to  us  verb- 
ally as  well  as  by  letter  were  all  in  the  same  strain 
— "  Come  on  as  quickly  as  you  can,  for  the  aspect  of 
affairs  is  serious  and  threatening."  Kiel  and  his  gang 
had  been  for  some  time  past  busy  in  removing  their 
plunder  from  Fort  Garry,  distributing  it  amongst  his 
friends,  and  in  places  of  safety  within  the  United 
States  territory.  This  looked  as  if  he  was  preparing 
to  bolt,  although  he  still  ruled  every  one  most  despot- 


\ 


i!  I 


il 


•292 


TIIAVEL,    ADVENTriJE,    AND   SPOUT. 


ill 


ically.  His  ^^mxi  nnxUAy — now  tliat  tlic  i'cIk'I  aspira- 
ti(tn.s  liad  liocn  satislicd  1)V  tlic  Manitoba  IJill — was 
tliat  li"  liinisclf  sliouM  liavi;  an  annu'sty  for  tin- 
crimes  he  liad  Ix'on  ^niilty  of.  Tho  Governinciii 
would  liavo  willingly  ;^qv('n  liini  an  amnesty  for  all 
his  political  ollenees,  liut  such  would  n(»t  have  pio- 
tccted  him  from  the  ehari^c;  of  having  wilfully  and 
in  C(»K1  blood  murdered  a  loyal  subject.  Therein  lay 
the  difficulty  ;  fnr,  anxious  as  the  ('artier  party  mij^ht 
be  to  secure;  him  from  all  punishment,  it  was  known 
that  the  En'^dish-speakin,^'  })eophj  of  Canada  would 
not  tolerate  his  beinj^^  protected  from  legal  proceed- 
ings in  that  matter.  The  rcdjcllion  had  idjtained  for 
IJishop  Tache  and  his  juirty  all  that  even  the  most 
sanguine  had  expected  from  it ;  and  Ik^  was  naturally 
afraid  lest  liiel,  from  personal  motives  and  fear  of 
punishment,  might  upset  the  whole  arrangement  by 
attempting  to  resist.  He  was  wise  enough  to  know 
that  nothing  was  to  be  gained,  whilst  everything 
already  gained  was  to  l)e  lost,  by  an  appeal  to  arms. 
He  therefore  strained  every  nerve  at  this  juncture  to 
keep  Riel  quiet.  He  hatl  left  for  Canada  with  the 
especial  object  of  procuring  an  amnesty  by  whicli 
he  should  be  held  entirely  blameless ;  and  this  wily 
priest  had  impressed  upon  him  the  certainty  of  his 
being  able  to  obtain  it,  his  influence  being  so  power- 
ful at  Ottawa.  Eiel  knew  not  what  to  do :  at  one 
moment  he  talked  of  resistance  ;  then,  when  the  word 
amnesty  was  whispered  in  his  ear,   and  visioy»<    of 


!!! 


^T^"*^ 


TIIK    ]:KI)    h'lVKi;    KXl'EhlTION. 


293 


1  aspira- 
111 — was 
fur  tlic 
crninciit 
Y  for  all 
avo  pvd- 
ully  and 
Tciii  lay 
ty  nii^'ht 
5  known 
[I  would 
procecd- 
dned  for 
,he  most 
laturally 
fear  of 
ncnt  Ity 
0  know 
erything 


to  arms, 
icture  to 
vith  the 
y  which 
lis  wily 
y  of  his 
)  powor- 
at  one 
he  word 
sio^-^    of 


( I 


I'liturc  polilieal  ^'rcainess  canie  up  lieforc  him.  In- 
would  announce  his  intention  of  coming'  out  to  meet 
us  for  the  i)uri)ose  of  Ijanding  over  the  ^'ovcrnuicnt 
f  the  country  to  tin*  coniniandcr  of  the  Kxpedition. 
The  result  of  this  hesitation  was  that  he  did  nothing; 
and  his  followers  kei)t  dropping  oil"  from  him  daily 
in  conse(pU'nee. 

lie  still  h(dd  Fort  Clarry  with  an  armed  garrison, 
and  his  puhlished  i)roclamati(>ns  at  the  time,  although 
indicative  of  declining  power  on  his  part,  were  hy  no 
means  sulHciently  rea-suring  or  jx'aecahle  in  their 
tone  to  warrant  any  lepsirture  from  all  military  pre- 
(•autit>ns  by  us.  Onh^rs  were  therefore  given  to  the 
leading  detachments  to  apin-oach  Kat  l'(»rtage,  at  the 
entrance  to  AVinnipeg  liiver,  w^ith  the  greatest  care, 
and  to  take  measures  for  guarding  against  surprise  or 
ainhush,  as  it  was  a  very  likely  place  for  an  attack, 
should  Kiel  mean  fighting.  The  iirst  detachment 
having  arrived  at  Fort  Francis  on  the  -ith  of  August, 
and  portaged  its  hoats,  ifee.,  round  the  falls  there, 
started  airain  that  same  afternoon. 


III. 


In  the  last  chapter  we  described  the  advance 
of  the  expeditionary  troops  as  far  as  Fort  Francis, 
and  endeavoured  to  convey  to  the  reader  a  general 
idea  of  the  country  in  the  first  of  the  three  sections 

VOL.    I.  u 


1! 


•  %i~M.. 


294 


TRAVEL,  ADVEXTUIIE,   AND   SPORT. 


into  wliich  we  divided  the  entire  distance  between 
Sliebandowan  Lake  and  Fort  Garry. 

The  second  section  begins  at  Fort  Francis,  wliere 
tlie  leading  detachment  arrived,  as  previonsly  stated, 
on  the  4tli  August,  starting  again  tliat  same  after- 
noon. A  garrison  of  one  company  of  militia  was 
left  for  the  protection  of  the  hospital,  bakery,  and 
depot  of  stores  established  there,  and  to  ensure  our 
communications  being  kept  open  through  the  Chip- 
pewah  territories.  Although  these  Indians  had  been 
hitherto  very  friendly,  there  was  no  saying  when 
they  might  give  us  trouble,  particularly  if  they  saw 
large  quantities  of  that  much-coveted  article,  flour, 
stored  in  their  very  midst  without  a  sufficient  guard 
to  protect  it.  Indians  have  great  appetites,  and  are 
always  hungry — and  hungry  men  are  ever  more  or 
less  dangerous.  Our  voyage  down  Rainy  Eiver  was 
most  enjoyable.  As  we  pushed  off  from  shore  below 
the  falls  at  Fort  Francis,  we  were  twisted  round  for 
some  time  in  every  direction  by  the  numerous  whirl- 
pools formed  by  the  falling  of  such  a  great  body  of 
water  into  a  circular  basin,  where  it  acquired  a  rotary 
motion.  At  one  moment  a  boat  was  going  at  the 
rate  of  about  nine  miles  an  hour,  and  the  next  it 
was  perfectly  stationary,  having  stopped  without  any 
shock,  but  as  suddenly  as  if  it  had  struck  a  rock. 
In  some  instances  minutes  elapsed  ere  the  utmost 
exertion  at  the  oar,  the  whole  crew  pulling  their 
best,   could  impart  the  least  motion  to  the  boats. 


between 

>,  where 
T  stated, 
le  after- 
itia  was 
ery,  and 
sure  our 
le  Clii]>- 
lad  been 
Lg   when 
ihey  saw 
le,  flour, 
nt  guard 
,  and  are 
more  or 
iver  was 
re  below 
ound  for 
His  whirl- 
body  of 
a  rotary 
g  at  the 
next  it 
lout  any 
a  rock, 
utmost 
ng  their 
.e  boats. 


i 


THE   IIED   EIVER   EXPEDITIOX. 


20: 


They  seemed  as  if  h<dd  in  a  vice  by  the  hand  of 
SHHie  hidden  giant — the  sensation  being  all  the  more 
peculiar  from  the  contrast  witli  tlie  rushing,  frotliing 
waters  around,  in  thenisfdvos  tlu^  very  symbol  of 
motion.  Then,  after  some  moments  (~»f  hard  pulling, 
every  muscle  being  strained  to  the  utmost,  the  boat 
was  released  so  smldenly  tliat  it  bounded  forward  as 
a  spring  would  wliich  had  beiui  ke[)t  back  by  a  rope 
that  had  suddenly  snapped.  The  sensation  of  b«'ing 
in  a  small  boat  amongst  such  eddies,  wliirlpools,  and 
uplieaving  Avaves,  which,  rising  from  ])elow,  broke  on 
the  surface  in  great  mouiuls  of  water  witliout  any 
apparent  cause,  was  most  exciting  and  enjoyal)l(^  to 
the  strou'Mierved  man  ;  whilst  the  weak-headed  ex- 
})erienced  a  disagreeable  feeling  al)out  the  stomach 
tliat  seemed  to  give  a  strong  tendency  to  grasp  at 
sometliiuf'"  or  somebodv. 

As  we  glided  down  this  deep  river  at  the  rate 
of  about  f<Hir  or  five  miles  an  hour,  the  scenery  was 
very  pretty.  Its  breadth  was  from  three  to  four 
hundred  yards  ;  the  banks  were  wooded  to  the 
water's  edge,  with  here  and  there  a  patch  of  green- 
sward peeping  out  through  the  trees  ;  whilst  occa- 
sionally one  came  to  an  open  park-like  clearance, 
where  fine  spreading  oaks  reminded  one  of  England. 
Tliis  river  is  the  frontier  between  Jiritish  Xorth 
America  and  the  United  States.  There  are  no  settle- 
ments upon  either  bank,  but  tlie  numbers  of  lodge- 
pules  showed  that  the  locality  was  a  favourite  one 


i 


HI      1 


._--,^ 

ll 

Ill 

h  ^ 


296 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,   AND   SPORT. 


with  Indians.  From  Fort  Francis  to  where  Eainy 
River  discharges  itself  into  the  Lake  of  the  Woods, 
a  distance  of  seventy  miles  in  a  westerly  direction,  the 
navigation  is  unbroken.  There  are  rapids  at  two 
places,  but  they  can  be  rnn  easily  and  safely ;  and 
in  ascending  the  stream,  boats  are  tracked  up  them 
without  discharging  cargo. 

At  both,  many  Indian  families  are  always  en- 
camped, as  they  are  favourite  spots  for  fishing,  par 
ticularly  during  the  winter,  as  the  water  never  freezes 
there.  There  are  wide  open  spaces  at  these  rapids, 
covered  when  we  passed  with  rich  luxuriant  grass, 
small  spots  being  under  cultivation  as  gardens  for 
potatoes  and  Indian  corn.  There  were  also  some 
circular  mounds  of  earth,  one  or  two  being  about 
twenty  feet  high.  AVe  had  not  time  to  land  and 
examine  them,  but  the  natives  call  them  underground 
houses,  although  not  now  used  as  habitations. 

It  was  a  lovely  day,  and  as  there  was  a  good 
current  in  the  river,  we  determined  upon  trying  the 
plan  of  drifting  along  it  during  the  night.  So,  after 
the  evening  meal,  we  again  started,  lashing  the  boats 
together  two  and  two,  one  man  remaining  awake  in 
each  boat  to  steer,  the  others  lying  down  to  sleep  as 
best  they  could.  As  the  sun  went  down,  a  dense 
mass  of  curious-looking  flies  came  streaming  up  with 
the  gentle  westerly  wind.  They  were  nearl}^  white, 
with  grey  wings  and  pale-yellow  bodies,  having  a  tail 
more  than  an  inch  long,  consisting  of  what  looked 


y 


THE   RED    IIIVER   EXPEDITION. 


297 


!  Eainy 
Woods, 
ion, the 
at   two 

ip  them 

rays  en- 
ng,  par 
L"  freezes 
3  rapids, 
t  grass, 
lens  for 
30  some 
g  about 
md  and 
rground 

a  good 
ring  the 
5o,  after 
le  boats 
wake  in 
sleep  as 
a  dense 
up  Avith 
1^  white, 
ag  a  tail 
looked 


like  two  white  hairs.  They  flew  in  a  regular  column, 
closely  formed  up,  without  any  stragglers  to  the  right 
or  left,  which  opened  out  with  a  sort  of  tactical  regu- 
larity when  a  boat  pushed  into  its  midst.  .Vt  a  little 
distance  they  had  all  the  ai)pearance  of  a  driving  fall 
of  snow.  The  pressure  from  abo\e  caused  vast  num- 
bers of  them  to  strike  the  water,  from  which  they  had 
not  the  power  to  rise  again. 

We  had  not  Tjeen  many  hours  drifting  along  when 
black  clouds  came  up  and  hid  the  moon ;  the  wind 
freshened  and  l)rought  heavy  rain  with  it,  which 
soon  wet  us  through.  We  were  making  no  way  ; 
and  it  became  so  pitchy  dark  that  steering  was  im- 
possible. We  had  therefore  to  push  into  shore,  and 
await  daybreak  as  best  we  could. 

We  reached  the  mouth  of  the  river  next  day  in 
time  for  breakfast  at  a  small  Hudson  Day  post,  for- 
merly called  Hungry  Hall,  from  the  number  of  men 
who  had  from  time  to  time  nearly  died  from  star- 
vation wdiilst  quartered  there.  It  has  now  been 
renamed  Fort  Louisa  by  the  Company,  and,  it  is 
expected,  will  become  shortly  a  post  of  some  im- 
portance, being  so  advantageously  situated  upon  what 
will  henceforth  be,  until  a  railway  is  opened,  the 
highway  for  Xorth-western  emigration.  Close  to  the 
post  is  an  Indian  burial-ground,  where  there  were 
some  coffins  raised  in  the  air  on  platforms  about  six 
feet  high :  chiefs  only  and  their  sons  are  thus 
honoured  after  death.     Around  the  post  are  many 


B-l  I 


'I 

illi! 


3  :!'! 


!i 


298 


TRAVEL,   ADVENTURE,   AND   SPORT. 


|J 


^i     I 


Indian  potato -gardens;  l)ut  there  -were  A'ery  few 
families  there  as  "\vc  passed,  every  one  that  could 
being  away  from  the  ordinary  hunting-grounds  at 
this  season,  for  the  purpose  of  collecting  wild  rice, 
which  abounds  in  some  neighbouring  localities:.. 

In  every  part  of  Kainy  liiver  sturgeon  are  found 
in  great  abundance,  one  of  fifty,  sixty,  or  more 
pounds  being  no  extrr^ordinary  fish.  It  is  very  good 
eating,  and  is  a  great  staple  of  food  amongst  the  poor 
half-starved  In'lians. 

The  land  upon  each  side  is  low  and  marshy  at  the 
mouth  of  liainy  liiver,  from  which  rose  up  (piantities 
of  wild  duck,  disturbed  at  their  feast  upon  the  wild 
rice  by  the  noise  of  our  oars,  and  l)y  the  cheery 
laughter  and  songs  of  our  men.  A  large  sand-bar 
has  formed  in  the  Lake  of  the  AVoods  immediately 
across  the  mouth  of  the  river,  U2:)on  wdiich  great  seas, 
rolling  in  from  the  ocean-like  lake  beyond,  broke 
with  a  loud  roar,  sending  up  clouds  of  spray  in  an 
angry  fashion.  Looking  out  westward  as  we  passed 
into  the  space  between  the  bar  and  the  shore,  where 
the  w^ater  w\as  calm  as  in  a  harljour,  the  lake  was 
covered  with  "  wdiite-horses " — bespeaking,  as  the 
breeze  was  freshening,  by  no  means  a  pleasant  day's 
work  for  us.  Xo  open  boat  could  have  crosse.l  the 
bar;  so  we  turned  northwar<l,  keeping  near  shore, 
but  between  it  and  a  line  of  sandy  dunes,  Avhich 
seemed  to  be  a  continuation  of  the  bar  at  the  en- 
trance to  the  river,  and  which  had  been  formed  most 


THE   PiED   EIVEIl   EXPEDITION. 


299 


?ry  few 
it  could 
unds  at 
lid  rice, 

'  ■"3. 

G  found 
)r  more 
!ry  good 
:he  poor 

y  at  the 
lantities 
:ho  wild 

cheery 
sand-bar 
lediatoly 
oat  seas, 
1,  broke 
ly  in  an 
8  passed 
e,  Avhere 
ake  was 

as  the 
mt  day's 
sse.'i  the 
,r  shore, 
!,  Avhich 
the  en- 
led  most 


probably — as  the  bar  has  been — when  the  river's 
mouth  was  more  to  the  north  than  it  is  at  present. 
These  sand-banks  extended  some  six  or  eiglit  miles, 
running  tolerably  parallel  with  the  shore,  and  from 
a  thousand  to  two  thousand  yards  from  it.  The 
water  was  very  shallow  at  places ;  and  as  we  got 
towards  the  end  of  the  protecting  sand-banks,  the 
force  of  the  waves  increased,  so  that  all  chance  of 
beating  to  windward  under  sail  w\as  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. "We  wxu^e  therefore  forced  to  put  into  a  rocky 
island  partly  covered  with  trees,  where  we  were 
detained  two  days  by  a  heavy  westerly  gale  —  a 
severe  trial  to  our  patience.  AVlien  we  did  get  oil", 
a  journey  of  two  days,  sometimes  under  sail  and 
sometimes  liaving  to  depend  solely  upon  the  oar, 
took  us  to  Eat  Portage,  at  the  northern  extremity 
of  the  lake,  where  the  Winnipeg  liiver  flowed  out  of 
it.  Some  of  us  were  without  guides  in  crossing  the 
lake,  which  for  miles  at  places  is  crowded  w^th 
islands  of  all  shapes  and  sizes  ;  and  as  the  maps 
were  altogether  wrong,  many  wandered  about  at  the 
northern  extremity  of  the  lake  searching  in  v.ain  for 
the  mouth  of  the  AVinnipeg  liiver.  The  Lake  of  the 
AVoods  is  about  seventy-five  miles  long,  Avith  an 
average  width  of  about  seventy  miles.  It  is  in 
reality  three  lakes,  separated  one  from  the  other  by 
clusters  of  islands,  all  more  or  less  pretty,  some  hav- 
ing fine  perpendicular  cliffs  tinted  with  many  shades 
of  red,  and  standing  majestically  out  of  the  water. 


in 


iU 


If: 


1 

li 

'     1 

1 

\ 

1 

i 

1 

i 

i 

1 

' 

1 

t 

1 

300 


TKAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SrORT. 


All  arc  woll  wooded,  and  in  some  there  are  a  few 
acres  under  cultivation  as  gardens,  where  the  Indians, 
from  time  immemorial,  have  been  in  the  habit  of 
growing  potatoes  and  maize.  The  water  in  the  lake 
is  nearly  lukewarm,  being  from  70^  to  78^  Fahr. :  it 
is,  except  at  a  very  few  places,  of  a  dark-green  colour, 
and  almost  opa(|ue  from  a  profuseness  of  confervoid 
growth.  These  conferva3  are  minute,  needle-shaped 
organisms,  of  a  bright-green  hue,  and  about  half  an 
inch  in  length.  They  abound  throughout  the  lake, 
and  are  in  such  quantities  at  places  that  the  water 
resenddes  green  pea-soup.  When  pressed  between 
the  teeth  they  have  a  pungent  flavour  like  mustard. 
Our  mosquito-nets  were  here  very  useful  for  straining 
the  water ;  but  even  after  that  process  had  been  gone 
through,  it  was  not  fit  for  drinking  until  boiled.  A 
few  of  the  long  deep  bays  receding  from  the  lake  are 
free  from  this  substance ;  and  upon  their  banks  lived 
the  majority  of  the  Indians  who  belong  to  this  neigh- 
bourhood. 

To  lose  one's  way  upon  an  expanse  of  water  like 
the  Lake  of  the  AVoods,  and  to  wander  about  in  a 
boat,  as  the  writer  did,  through  its  maze  of  unin- 
habited islands,  where  no  sound  was  to  be  heard  but 
the  dip  of  the  oars  at  regular  intervals,  or  the  distant 
and  weird-like  whistle  of  the  loon,  is  to  experience 
the  exquisite  sensation  of  solitude  in  all  its  full  in- 
tensity. There  are  trees  and  rocks,  and  earth  and 
water,  in  all  their  varied  and  united  beauty,  but  no 


''--i. 


THE   UED   laVER   EXPEDITION. 


301 


I  i 


si'Mi  whatever  of  man's  handiwork  anvwhoro.  Oli, 
if  it  were  not  for  tlie  trouble  of  having  to  cook  one's 
own  dinner,  how  delicious  would  be  existence  passed 
in  the  society  of  nature  ! 

The  drainage  of  an  immense  country  is  collected 
in  the  Lake  of  the  AVoods,  which  flows  into  Lake 
Winnipeg  by  a  river  of  that  name.  This  river  ])egins 
in  the  former  lake,  flowing  from  it  l)y  several 
cliannels,  all  more  or  less  romantically  picturesque- 
ill  their  scenery,  and  at  the  entrance  to  each  of 
which  there  are  falls  about  thirteen  feet  high. 
T'pon  one  of  the  central  islands  thus  formed  is  the 
Hudson  Bay  post  of  Rat  Portage.  It  is  approached 
by  a  most  intricate  channel,  winding  round  islands 
ill  such  a  manner  that  a  stranger  would  have  very 
great  difficulty  in  finding  it.  There  is  a  nice  little 
farm  there,  and  a  good  garden,  the  vegetables  of 
which  were  a  great  treat  after  our  journey  of  so 
many  days  through  a  wilderness.  There  was  a  most 
striking  difference  between  the  climate  at  Sheban- 
(lowan  and  on  the  shores  of  this  great  lake  :  evcny 
(lay's  journjy  from  the  high  level  of  the  former 
place  brought  us  into  a  more  gtnial  temperature, 
humming-birds  having  been  seen  for  the  first  time 
at  French  Portage  before  we  reached  Rainy  Lake ; 
and  the  corn  was  being  cut  as  we  left  Fort  Francis, 
where  the  summer  is  very  early.  The  post  at  Rat 
Portage  consists  of  a  few  log-houses  surrounded  by  a 
high  wooden  palisading.     It  stands  on  a  bank  some 


t 


{!;il    !^ 


302 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTUKE,  AXD  SPORT. 


1 


fifteen  feet  high,  and  when  viewed  from  the  river, 
hear.s  a  strung  resemblance  to  a  Ikirmese  viUagc. 
As  you  ascend  tlie  hank  to  enter  tlie  post,  you  are 
surrounded  liy  a  pack  of  the  leanest  -  looking  an(l 
most  cur  -  like  dogs,  who  are  always  quarrelling 
amongst  themselves,  and  have  starvation  written 
on  their  countenances,  as  well  as  evidenced  bv  their 
bone-protruding  llaido.  They  are  to  the  Indians,  or 
the  dwellers  in  the  backwoods,  during  winter,  what 
canoes  are  to  them  in  summer.  These  dogs  drag 
their  fralneaiw,  or  foJ>o(j(/i/t>i  as  they  are  indifferently 
called,  and  are  capalde  of  lengthened  exertions  over 
snow-tracks  where  no  horse  could  travel.  In  summer 
they  are  turned  loose  about  the  post,  and  pick  up 
enough  to  eat  as  l)est  they  can  among  the  Indians 
encamped  around  it ;  but  in  winter  they  are  regu- 
larly fed  upon  fish. 

The  gentleman  in  charge  of  Rat  Portage  had  been 
there  for  thirteen  years,  without  having  had,  during 
that  period,  any  further  glimpse  of  civilisation  than 
what  could  be  obtained  at  some  of  the  other  posts. 
He  was  a  half-breed  married  to  a  squaw.  It  is  next 
to  impossible  that  any  man  could  lead  such  a  solitary 
life  and  still  retain  the  intelligence  and  enlargement 
of  ideas  imparted  by  even  an  ordinary  country-school 
education.  ]\Ien's  minds  are  too  prone  to  assimilate 
with  the  minds  of  those  with  whom  they  are  ex- 
clusively associated,  to  retain,  after  a  series  of  years 
spent   amongst    ignorant    heathens,   many  traces  of 


THE   KED   KIVER   EXPEDITIOX. 


303 


*ii 


10  river, 

villagi'. 
you  aiv 
iii.i^  and 
aiTcUiiig 

written 
bv  their 
ilians,  ur 
,er,  wliat 
y^si  clraLi' 
IFerently 
ons  over 

summer 
pick  up 

Indians 


re   regu- 


lad  been 
,  during 
on  than 
er  posts, 
t  is  next 

solitary 
irgement 
y-school 
ssimilate 

are  ex- 
of  years 
races  of 


education  or  civilisation.  ( Jreat,  therefore,  was  <mu' 
astonishment  at  fmdintf  tlie  talde  neatly  arrantred 
with  breakfast  things,  laid  out  on  a  clean  table-cloth, 
when  we  entered  the  house  the  ninrnin^'  after  our 
arrival.  Thrice  blessed  is  the  niiui  who  first  dis- 
covered the  pleasures  of  eating.  Your  iiourrnd  in 
refined  life  really  knows  nothing  of  them  ;  nor  has 
he  ever  enjoyed  the  rapturous  sensations  which 
broiled  fish,  boiled  potatoes,  and  tea,  ailorded  us 
that  morning.  En  route,  our  daily  meals  were 
always  cooked  and  eaten  in  a  hurry.  A  pi(niic 
once  a-year  is  very  i)leasant  to  the  man  accustomed 
to  eat  his  dinner  for  the  following  3G-1:  days  in  a 
white  cravat,  and  with  his  legs  under  an  artistically- 
decorated  table ;  but  to  eat  one's  breakfast,  dinner, 
and  supper  of  salt-pork,  beans,  and  l)iscuit,  sitting 
on  a  log  or  stone,  day  after  day  for  months  together, 
is,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  rather  monotonous,  and 
makes  one  appreciate  the  luxury  of  a  chair,  table, 
and  clean  table-cloth  in  a  remarkable  degree. 

At  Eat  Portage  more  letters  were  received  by  the 
officer  commanding  from  the  lied  liivcr  Settlement, 
urging  the  necessity  of  haste,  and  begging  of  him  to 
send  on  even  a  couple  of  hundred  men  in  advance, 
for  the  purpose  of  inspiring  confidence,  and  of  putting 
an  end  to  the  feelings  of  doubt  and  apprehension  of 
impending  danger,  then  universal  amongst  the  loyal 
inhabitants.  Eiel  was  still  in  Fort  Garrv,  surrounded 
by  armed  men  and  the  banditti  composing  his  gov- 


Tl' 


!  M 


f.i' 


304 


TRAVEL,  ADVEXTUKE,  AND  SPOKT. 


ernmcnt.  He  still  ruled  most  arbitrarily ;  and  al- 
though he  had  permitted  the  Hudson  I>ay  Company 
to  recommence  business,  he  had  forced  its  representa- 
tive to  pay  a  large  sum  for  the  privilege  of  doing  so. 
The  cliief  of  the  Swampy  Indians  (who  inhabit  tlit- 
banks  of  the  lied  lliver  for  a  distance  of  about  fifteen 
miles  from  where  it  falls  into  Lake  AVinnipeg)  wrote 
volunteering  the  service  of  his  people  in  any  way  in 
which  they  could  be  made  useful.  They  had  been 
stanch  and  loyal  throughout  all  the  half-l)reed  dis- 
turbances, and  had  always  been  most  anxious  to  take 
up  arms  against  the  rebels.  The  dread  of  calling  in 
such  a  dangerous  element  as  these  Indians  would 
have  been,  had  hitherto  deterred  those  most  anxious 
for  the  re-establishment  of  order  from  making  any 
use  of  them.  This  Indian  chief  complained  greatly 
in  his  letter  of  the  inconsistency  of  our  conduct  in 
having  made  a  practice  of  punishing  Indians  when 
they  robbed  or  committed  any  crime,  whilst  the  gang 
of  robbers  under  Kiel  was  allowed,  he  said,  to  over- 
turn the  lawful  government  of  the  country,  to  pillage 
private  property,  to  imprison  loyal  men,  and  even  to 
commit  murder  with  impunity.  A  number  of  the 
English-speaking  people  of  the  low  Eed  liiver  Settle- 
ment had,  under  the  sanction  of  the  Protestant  bishop, 
started  off  up  the  Winnipeg  River  to  meet  us  with 
some  large  Hudson  Bay  boats,  having  experienced 
guides  and  crews,  for  the  purpose  of  assisting  us  in 
descending?  that  river.     Its  navif?ation  is  crenerallv 


! 


r. 

;  and  al- 
Company 
^prosenta- 

(loillg  80. 

[habit  tlif 
•lit  fifteen 
eg)  -wrote 
ly  way  in 
had  heeii 
)reed  dis- 
is  to  take 
calling  in 
lis  WOllltl 
t  anxious 
kin 


THE   KED   IIIVEU   EXPEDITION. 


30') 


•A 


cr 


any 
d  f'reatlv 
induct  in 
ms  when 
the  gang 
,  to  over- 
bo  pillage 
i  even  to 
ir  of  the 
er  Settle- 
it  bishop, 
us  with 
lerienced 
ng  us  in 
Qfenerallv 


esteemed  to  be  most  dangerous,  and  none  but  those 
well  skilled  in  the  voyageur's  art,  and  acquaint«'»l 
Avith  this  river  in  particular,  M'iil  ever  attempt  to 
take  boats  along  it.  We  were  very  deficient  in  gocul 
steersmen,  and  had  not  more  tlian  a  few  guides — 
ul)tained  at  Fort  Francis — who  knew  the  route  :  so 
when  this  party  of  men,  under  charge  of  the  Ilev. 
Mr  Ciardner,  an  English  clergyman,  met  us  at  Kat 
Portage,  we  realised  for  the  first  time  that  there  was 
really  an  active  party  in  ^lanitoba,  who  had  n»  c 
yet  bowed  the  knee  before  ]Jaal;  that  there  v  dre 
men  whose  loyalty  was  not  of  the  lip  only,  buc  a 
reality,  for  which  they  were  prepared  to  leave  their 
liomes,  and  share  the  dangers  to  be  encountered  by 
tlieir  countrymen  who  were  struggling  througli  a  vast 
wilderness  ta  their  assistance,  and  in  order  to  relievo 
them  from  the  tyranny  to  which  they  had  been  so 
long  exposed. 

The  description  given  to  us  by  these  men  of  the 
dangers  which  were  before  us — of  rapids  where  the 
least  false  step  would  send  us  over  heavy  falls  into 
whirlpools  of  such  magnitude  that  the  largest-sized 
boats  are  quickly  engulfed  in  them — made  many  of 
us  wince.  When  shown  the  boats  in  which  we  liad 
made  the  journey  up  to  that  point,  and  in  which  we 
expressed  our  determination  to  go  on,  they  shook 
their  heads  in  mournful  astonishment.  Here,  as 
throughout  the  whole  of  this  Expedition,  we  found  a 
general  conviction  stamped  upon  the  minds  of  every 


30G 


TUAVEL,   ADVEXTtJllE,    AXD   SPORT. 


(»no  cif  every  class  that  "wo  inet,  tliat  tlicj  r>ritis]i 
soldier  was  a  line  brave  felloNV,  who,  as  a  fi^^'htiii;^' 
man,  was  sujierior  to  two  of  any  other  nation,  hut 
utterly  useless  for  any  other  i>uri)ose.  They  thoui^ht 
it  was  iin]>ossiljle  that  he  could  carry  loads,  perform 
hejivy  hodily  la1)our,  or  endure  great  ])hysical  fatigue. 
It  need  scai'cely  he  aihled  that  we  now  Ijear  a  very 
dilFeicnt  reputation  in  those  parts;  and  it  is  not 
saying  too  much  to  assert,  that  we  left  behind  us  a 
character  for  every  uianly  virtue.  Our  men  soon 
accpiired  cousideraljle  skill  in  managing  their  boats, 
in  portaging,  <Scc.,  ^c.  ;  and  the  natural  cheery  energy 
of  the  IJritish  character  shone  out  luilliantly  when 
displayed  side  by  side  with  the  a2)athy  and  listlessness 
(jf  the  half-breed  voyageur. 

AVe  were  informed  that  it  would  tji.ke  us  about 
twenty  days  to  get  to  Fort  Alexander,  at  the  mouth 
of  the  Winnipeg  Eiver.  This  was  very  discouraging, 
because  we  had  been  previously  told  by  our  leader 
that  we  should  reach  Fort  Garry  about  the  23d  of 
August,  which  would  be  impossible  if  it  were  to  take 
us  so  long  in  descending  the  river. 

The  journey  down  the  AVinnipeg  IJiver  can  never 
be  forgotten  if  once  made.  The  dillerence  of  level 
between  the  Lake  of  the  AVoods  and  Lake  AVinnipcg 
is  340  feet — the  distance  between  them  by  river 
being  about  160  miles.  The  descent  down  that 
number  of  feet  is  distributed  throughout  thirty  falls 
and  raj)ids,  presenting  every  variety  of  river  scenery 


THE   RKI)   IIIVEIl   EXrKniTIOX. 


307 


)  British 
fighting' 
tion,  l)ut 
'  tlmu^flit 
,  perform 
1  fati^aic 
r  II  vcr\ 
it  is  nf»t 

iiul    us    !l 

lien  sodii 
?ir  boats, 
•y  energy 
tly  wlicii 
stlessnes.s 

us  about 
e  moiitli 
juragin,^-, 
ir  leader 
J  23d  of 
e  to  take 

in  never 
of  level 
V^innipeg 
by  river 
•wn  that 
irty  falls 
scenery 


that  nature  is  cai)abl(>  of.  For  the  first  lifty  uiiles 
there  are  numerous  islands — s»>  nuidi  st»,  that  tlie 
liver  is  a  succession  of  hd^cs,  or  as  if  there  were  four 
or  live  rivers  running  side  by  side,  uniting  here  and 
there  only  to  separate  a  few  ndles  lower  down.  .Vt 
some  points  it  is,  however,  contracted  into  one  or  two 
comparatively  narrow  channels,  where  the  great  rush 
of  water  resend)les  a  magnitied  null-race.  The  i)as- 
sau'e  of  such  ])laces  is  alwavs  more  or  less  dani^erous, 
particularly  if  small  islands  or  large  rocks  divide  the 
rapids  into  several  channels,  crossing  one  another 
liefore  they  meet  in  the  boiling  caldron  of  foaming 
water  below.  Numerous  were  the  hair -breadth 
escapes  :  in  many  instances  the  lives  of  boats'  crews 
seemed  held  in  the  balance  for  some  moments — more 
awful  for  those  who  watched  the  scene  from  the  bank 
than  for  the  soldiers  actuallv  in  the  l)oat.  J^rovidenco 
— a  noble  term  which  this  war  in  France  has  taught 
newsi)aper  writers  to  sneer  at — watched  over  us  in  a 
remarkable  manner;  for  although  we  had  one  or  two 
boats  wrecked  on  this  mighty  river,  and  many  men 
were  for  minutes  in  imminent  danger,  the  whole 
force  reached  Lake  Winnipeg  without  any  loss  of  life. 
There  is  no  more  deliciously  exciting  pleasure  in 
the  world  than  that  of  running  a  really  large  and 
dangerous  rapid  in  a  canoe,  or  in  a  small  boat.  As 
your  frail  skiff  bounds  over  the  waves,  ever  and  anon 
jumping  as  it  were  from  a  higher  to  a  lower  level, 
whilst  the  paddlers  or  oarsmen  tug  aw^ay  wdth  might 


308 


TKAVEL,   ADVKNTUitE,   AND   .SPOl:T. 


m 


< 


MlJ 


.'iiid  main,  iind  tlio  outcroi)i)iii;^^  ivjcks  am  cleverly 
avoided  by  the  skilful  Ijowsuiaii  and  .ste'er.smaii,  ev(ay 
pL'asurablc  .sciisatinii  is  exjxji'ieiieed.  As  (.-aeh  Ijoat 
turned  into  tlx;  slaek  water  bellow  the  rapid,  one  'ook 
a  Ion;,'  breatli  of  relief,  and  tin;  woi-ld  and  life  itself 
8(!enie(l  to  be  dillenuit  in  the  calm  stilhKiSS  there  from 
what  it  was  wIkui  we  were  dasliing  through  the  i(xu- 
ing,  rushing  watei's  in  niid-stn.'ani. 

Xo  huigtli  of  time,  nor  any  amount  of  future  ad- 
ventures, ean  erase;  fi'oni  the  writer's  mind  his  arrival 
at  the  Slave  Falls.  Jfe  was  in  a  bii'eh-])ark  canoe 
mann»»d  by  Irroc^uois,  onci  of  whom  acted  as  guide. 
'J'he  regulai'  i)ortage  for  Hut  boats  was  several  hun- 
dred yai'ds  from  the  falls,  and  lay  in  a  slack-water 
bay,  i-eaehcfl  without  any  danger  as  long  as  the  boats 
kept  toleraljly  W(;li  in  towai  Is  the  bank  on  that  side. 
Our  astonislim<;nt  was  gr(;at  at  finding  the  guide;  take 
the  canoe  out  into  ndd-str(;am,  wIku'c  the  current  ran 
at  an  (exciting  pace,  becoming  swifter  every  yard,  until 
at  last,  as  one  a])proached  the  vicinity  of  the  falls, 
it  was  pali)ably  evid(Uit  that  W(;  were  d(!scending  a 
steeply-inclined  plane.  Consoling  oursidves  at  first 
with  the  r(;llection  that  the  guide;  knew  best  what  he 
was  about,  wc;  sat  motioid(!ss,  but,  l(;t  us  confess  it, 
aw(;-stricken,  as  we;  swe;pt  intej  the  narrow  gully  at 
tlic  onel  of  which  the  great  ne)isy  rejar  ejf  falling  waters, 
anel  the;  ce)lumns  of  spray  that  curleei  up  like  clouds 
into  the  air,  announceel  the  position  of  the  fall.  We; 
were    close    tej    the    brink.       We    appeareel   to   have 


d  m 


THE   KKD   JIIVEK    EXTEDITION. 


309 


cleverly 
in,  ev(*ry 
ueli  ]j(j;it 

lie  itself 
lei'c  from 
i\ut  Yiy.n- 

iture  inl- 

is  {irriviil 

rk  caiKMj 

IS  guide. 

'Vd\  liini- 

ick-\v;iter 

tlie  Ijoat.s 

hilt  side. 

lide  take 

iTC'iit  ran 

ird,  until 

he  falls, 

iiidin;^'  a 

at  first 

what  he. 

nfess  it, 

mlly  at 

waters, 

e  eloiuls 

11.      We 

to   liave 


reached  that  point  which  exists  in  most  falls  fmni 
wlienee  the  water  sf^ems  to  he_L^dn  its  run  preparat<»ry 
to  ;i  go(Kl  juiiip  over  into  tie;  abyss  helow  ;  and  we 
ku!  Vv',  from  having  watched  many  great  cataracts  for 
li'Hirs,  that  it  was  a  hourni,*  from  whf.'iicf.'  tliei);  was 
iiM  return.  Quick  !is  lightning  tlu;  idea  llasluMl  across 
us  that  the  Jn<lians  had  matl<'  a  mistake,  aiul  that 
eveiything  was  over  for  us  in  tliis  world.  In  that 
infinitesimal  fi'action  of  tim<!  a  glimpse  of  the  eountc- 
nanc(,'  of  the  sturdy  howsman  rather  confirmed  this 
idea — liis  teeth  iipjx.'anid  S(!t,  and  then;  was  an  un- 
usual look  in  his  eye.  All  cj"(!;itions  of  our  own 
lieated  fancy  ;  for  in  aiuAher  second  tin;  cano(;'s  head 
s\ve])t  in  towards  tlu^  rocks,  and  was  turne(l  nose  up 
stream  in  toh;rahly  slack  watei-,  two  of  the;  })addl(;rs 
jumping  out  and  hf)lding  it  lirndy  there.  All  our 
j)oetical  fancies  were  rud<;ly  disperscjd  hy  a  che(!r  and 
chorus  of  laughter  from  tin;  lrro(piois  crew.  Tin; 
hreaking  of  a  paddle  in  thf;  hands  of  eith(5i'  howsman 
er  steersman  would  hav(;  h(;en  fatal  at  that  critical 
moment  when  we  turn(!d  s]iar})ly  in  to  the  ])ank,  the 
stern  being  allowed  to  swing  round  in  the  li(;avy 
>tream,  and  })y  so  doing,  aid  in  driving  the  1)ow  in- 
w;irds.  Nothing  could  liavc;  saved  us  if  such  an  ac- 
eident  liad  occurrcMl  ;  y(-l  ]ntv(t  W(.*r(!  these  Indians 
chuckling  over  the  (hmger  they  liad  only  just  escap(Ml 
hy  the  (jxertions  of  their  greatest  skill  and  oi  their 
utmost  muscular  j)0W(U\  1'hey  had  needlessly  and 
wittingly  encountered  it,  for  they  could  have  gained 

VOL.    1.  X 


310 


TIIAVEL,    ADVENTUPtE,   AND    SPORT. 


the  sliore  uhout  a  liiin(Iro(l  yards  lii^dior  up  with  corii- 
parativo  case,  and  tlicii  lowonid  tlieir  cauoos  tliroii^^fli 
tho  slack-water  pools  in  tin;  rocks  aloii;^  the;  side  to 
tli(j  ]>laci;  they  had  oidy  Hiached  with  cxtrcnic  danjj;*'!'. 
Thorc;  was  no  use  in  ar;^niing  with  thfrii  on  thf  sulj- 
ject ;  they  had  confidence  in  themselves,  and  f,doried 
in  any  dan,i4cr  which  tln^y  felt  certain  of  overcomill^^ 
If  any  of  these  Indians  say  they  can  take  you  down 
a  rai)id,  reliance  may  h(i  ]»laced  in  their  doin^'  so,  as 
they  will  not  att(;mpt  wh;it  they  fe<'l  would  he  he- 
yond  their  pow(;rs.  Therein  lies  tin;  ;^M'eat  difference, 
between  them  and  the  wliit(;-faced  voyagrnir,  who  is 
so  oft(;n  foolhardy,  and  })rone  to  allow  his  pluck  to 
overtax  his  strength  and  skill. 

Tin;  name  of  Slave  Falls  is  in  memory  of  a  hasc, 
cru(d  act  ])er[)(;trat(id  then;  some  generations  ago  l)y 
the  Chip})ewahs.  The  Sioux  of  the  plains  have 
always  ]Mt(tn  their  h(;r(;ditary  enemies,  and  from 
tiuK.'  immemorial  raids  have  been  ma(Ui  hy  eacli 
into  the  otlier's  country.  The  Chippewahs,  upon 
one  of  th(,'se  forays,  had  taken  two  prisoners,  whoui 
they  ke[)t  as  slaves.  To  gratify  some  passing  whim, 
or  to  afford  amusement  to  their  children,  they  oik; 
(Lay  hound  these;  ]»oor  wretch(*s  in  a  canoe,  and  in 
thiit  manncir  sent  them  over  these  falls,  so  su])liiiic 
by  nature,  but  put  to  a  cowardly  find  (h;grading  use 
))y  what  we  are  taught  to  call  natur(;'s  noblest  crea- 
ture;— man. 

The  banks  oi  the  river   are  wooded  everywhr-re, 


f    .      ! 
I  I 


THE    TIED    niVER    EXPEDITION. 


311 


Ml 


ritli  coTii- 
i  tliroii^fli 

i    Si(l(!    to 

tlic  sul)- 
(1  ;^dr)ri(.Ml 

;rcolnill,L^ 
'ou  down 
ng  so,  as 
d  lj(^  Ijo- 
lifrcrcncc. 
r,  wlio  is 
pluck  to 

if  a  Ijasf, 
s  ago  Ity 
liiis  liavi; 
lid    from 

hy  eadi 
dis,  mjoii 
irs,  wliom 
rig  Avliiiii, 

tlioy  011(3 
'(',  and  ill 
)  su])lii)H; 
adiiig  use 
)lc.st  crea- 

erywlu'iv, 


jK.plar  l)eing  the  prevailing  timLer,  intcrsper.sfd  honi 
and  tlifiro  with  poor  hircli  and  stunttMl  pines.  Tlio 
syeiiitci  rocks  .'ind  granite  hovdders  were  very  grand 
at  places;  and  occasionally  river-scenery  was  jjresentcd 
upon  the  largest  iniaginabh;  seal*;. 

Several  large-sized  livers  join  tin;  Winnipeg,  ])ar- 
ticnlaiiy  from  tlie  west,  up  some  of  wliicli  the  Ilud- 
^im  IJay  Company  have  outlying  posts.  A])0ut  half- 
way to  Fort  Alexander  is  an  I'Jiglish  missionary 
estahlishment,  with  a  gO(jd  farm  attached,  iiiid  a 
few  Indian  log -shanties  scattered  around  it.  Xo 
cb-rgymaii  resides  tln^re,  hut  it  is  })resided  over  hy 
a  catechist,  who  has  a  school  where  he  teaches  Eng- 
lish to  about  twenty  or  thirty  children.  'Sow  and 
then  we  came  to  a  spot  capable  (jf  cultivation;  but, 
as  a  general  rule,  the  land  on  the  U])per  Winnii^'g  J"^ 
jioor,  j'lid  unsuited  for  settlement. 

We  had  a  good  deal  of  rain  whilst  d(!scending  it ; 
hut  as  we  near(Hl  Fort  AlexandcT  the  weather  mended 
considerably,  the  days  Ijeing  warm  and  balmy,  al- 
though the  nights  wer(3  always  c(jol  and  rometimes 
cxtrenudy  chilly. 

The  locality  most  celebrated  for  its  dangf.T  is  at 
the  '•  seven  portages,''  where  the  b(jats  have  to  ])e 
unloaded  and  everything  })ortaged  that  number  of 
times,  idthough  the  entire  distance  from  the  top  of 
the  first  to  the  Ixjttom  of  the  seventh  is  only  two 
and  a  half  miles.  The  work  was  most  wearing  upon 
both  men   and  boats  :  every  one  l«jok(jd  forward  t(j 


312 


TlfAVEL,  ADVENTURE,   AND   SPORT. 


!    Ill 


I 


Fort  Alexander  as  the  end  of  their  hard  work,  it 
being  clear-sailing  from  thence  to  Fort  Garry.  Tlio 
finest  scenery  on  the  riv^er  is  at  Silver  Falls  ;  there  i.s 
nothing  that  can  compare  with  them  in  Northern 
America  to  the  eastward  of  Ked  River.  Xiagara  is 
a  thing  apart,  as  there  is  nothing  elsewhere  that  can 
be  likened  to  it.  Silver  Falls,  as  a  great  rapid,  also 
stands  alone.  Time  pressed,  so  we  had  to  hurry  past 
them;  but  their  magnificent  grandeur  will  long  re- 
main impressed  upon  the  memory  as  a  glorious  inc- 
ture,  illustrating  the  vast  power  of  running  water. 
Owing  to  some  dividing  rocks  above,  the  stream 
rushes  down  this  steep  incline  in  two  separate 
volumes,  which  appear  so  to  jostle  one  another  in 
their  downward  race,  that  in  the  centre  the  water 
is  pushed  up  into  a  high  ridge,  marking  their  line  of 
contact,  until  both  are  lost  in  the  great  chaos  of  foam, 
spray,  and  broken  water  below. 

The  leading  brigades  reached  Fort  Alexander  on 
the  morning  of  the  18tli  August,  having  descended 
the  river  without  accident  in  nine  and  a  half  days 
instead  of  twenty,  as  the  Hudson  Bay  Company  voy- 
ageurs,  who  were  ignorant  what  well -led  British 
soldiers  can  do,  said  we  should  take.  By  the  even- 
ing of  the  20th  August  all  the  regular  troops  were 
concentrated  there,  the  brigades  of  militia  being 
echeloned  along  the  river  in  rear,  at  close  intervals 
one  behind  the  other.  There  was  not  a  sick  man 
amongst   those    collected    at    Fort   Alexander  —  all 


THE   RED   rJVER   EXPEDITION. 


313 


work,  it 
ry.     Tlio 

there  is 
N'orthern 
'iagara  is 
that  can 
\])id,  also 
Lirry  past 

long  re- 
ious  pic- 
g  water. 
e  stream 

separate 
Lother  in 
be  water 
r  line  of 
of  foam, 

iider  on 
sc  ended 
alf  days 
my  voy- 
Britisli 
he  even- 
Dps  were 
a  being 
intervals 
ok  man 
er  —  all 


looked  the  picture  of  health  and  of  soldier -like 
l)earing.  Oh  for  100,000  such  men  !  They  would 
1)0  invincible.  Up  to  the  20th  of  August  it  had 
rained  upon  thirteen  days  in  that  month.  Tlie  work 
had  been  incessant  from  davli^dit  until  dark,  but  no 
murmur  was  lieard.  'J'he  men  chafted  one  another 
about  being  mules  and  beasts  of  burden;  but  when 
they  saw  their  officers  carryhig  barrels  of  flour  and 
pork  on  their  backs,  and  fairly  sharing  their  fatigues, 
eating  the  same  rations,  and  living  just  as  they  did, 
they  realised  the  necessity  for  exertion.  There  must 
surely  be  some  inherent  good  in  a  regimental  system 
which  can  thus  in  a  few  years  convert  the  British 
lout  into  the  highly-trained  soldier,  developing  in 
him  qualities  such  as  cheerful  ol^edience,  endur- 
ance, t^c,  (fee,  unknown  to  the  beerhouse-lounging 
rustic. 

A  fresh  batch  of  news  from  Fort  Garry  was  here 
obtained.  Eiel  had  summoned  together  his  follow- 
ers, who  had  assembled  to  the  number  of  about  GOO, 
and  had  endeavoured  to  organise  a  force  to  resist,  but 
had  not  received  the  support  he  expected.  He  had 
also  called  a  council,  who  met  in  secret  conclave,  no 
English-speaking  man  being  admitted.  Of  course  it 
was  not  known  what  had  passed  upon  that  occasion ; 
but  when  the  council  broke  up,  an  order  was  sent  to 
the  Hudson  Bay  Company  forbidding  any  further 
sale  of  gunpowder  or  bullets.  This  was  done,  our 
correspondent  alleged,  to  prevent  the  supply  of  am- 


./,  *■ 


nil 


314 


TIIAVEL,   ADVENTURE,   AND   SPOUT. 


r 


munition  running  sliort  sliould  they  rcMiuirc  it.  liiel 
liarl  been  told  that  the  governor  was  not  to  reach  tlic 
Settlement  in  company  witli  lUshop  Tache,  as  tlir 
rebels  had  hoped,  and  to  accomplish  which  had  been 
one  of  that  })relate's  objects  in  going  to  Canada.  Eiel's 
mind  was  still  much  troubled  upon  the  subject  of  an 
amnesty,  which  the  Canadian  Government  did  not 
seem  in  any  haste  to  grant.  All  letters  received 
ended  in  the  usual  strain,  "  Come  on  as  quickly  as 
you  can ;  we  are  in  momentary  dread  of  our  lives 
and  property."  The  general  tenor  of  the  news 
proved  two  things — first  that  there  was  every  possi- 
bility, almost  amounting  to  a  probability,  of  resist- 
ance being  offered  ;  and  secondly,  that  should  our 
advance  be  opposed,  the  number  we  should  have  to 
meet  would  be  small  compared  with  that  at  Eiel's 
disposal  during  the  past  winter.  It  was  therefore 
determined  to  push  on  at  once  with  the  60th  Eifles, 
the  detachments  of  Royal  Engineers  and  of  Eoyal 
Artillery  with  their  two  7-pounder  guns,  leaving  the 
two  militia  battalions  to  follow  with  all  speed. 

"We  waited  half  a  day  in  hopes  that  the  two  lead- 
ing brigades  of  militia,  which  were  known  to  be  close 
behind,  might  come  up ;  but  as  they  did  not  do  so  in 
that  time,  we  started  without  them,  for  the  wind  was 
fair,  and  when  foul  it  is  often  impossible  to  get  round 
the  point  at  Elk  Island  in  Lake  Winnipeg  for  days 
together. 

There  are  numerous  clearances  in  the  vicinity  of 


THE  IJED    KIVER   EXPEDITIOX. 


315 


it.  Pad 
reach  tlie 
e,  as  tlu' 
liad  been 
la.  Kiel's 
ect  of  ail 
did  not 
received 
nickly  as 
our  lives 
;he  news 
2ry  possi- 
of  resist- 
oiild  our 
[  have  to 
at  Eiel's 
therefore 
th  Rifles, 
of  Eoyal 
Lving  the 
d. 

;wo  lead- 
)  be  close 
I  do  so  in 
wind  was 
jet  round 
for  days 

icinity  of 


Fort  Alexander,  where  some  half-breed  farmers  have 
established  themselves.  There  is  also  a  very  fuu'  farm 
])elongin,i,'  to  the  post  in  a  good  state  of  cultivation. 
The  land  is  very  rich  for  aT)out  half  a  mile  or  a  mile 
Ijack  from  the  river,  beyond  that  being  a  succession 
of  swamps  impassabh*  during  the  summer,  but  travelled 
over  when  frozen  in  winter.  The  Fort  is  like  the  otl '  ors 
already  described,  but  is  on  a  larger  scale,  and  has  a 
less  decayed  air  about  it.  It  stands  on  the  left  Ijank, 
which  is  about  twenty  feet  above  the  water,  and  is  two 
miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river.  There  is  a  Protes- 
tant mission  here,  and  much  good  is  done  by  its 
schools,  in  which  English  is  taught.  The  21st  of 
August  being  Sunday,  there  was  a  parade  for  divine 
service  in  the  morning,  at  which  the  servants  of  the 
Hudson  Bay  Company,  and  the  few  half-breed  farmers 
in  the  neighbourhood,  joined  us  in  prayers  for  the 
success  of  the  operation  we  were  about  to  undertake. 
The  afternoon  was  lovely,  with  a  bright  warm  sun 
shining  down  upon  us  as  our  fleet  of  fifty  boats  hoisted 
their  sails,  and  started  Avith  a  light  wind  from  the 
S.W.  It  was  a  very  pretty  sight,  and  a  subject  well 
worthy  of  an  artist.  As  we  rounded  the  point  of  Elk 
Island,  eighteen  miles  X.AV.  from  Fort  Alexander, 
evening  was  falling  fast ;  so  we  halted  for  the  night 
in  a  bay  with  a  wide  sandy  beach  between  the  water 
and  the  high  overlianging  bank,  which  was  covered 
with  timber,  chiefly  birch.  The  boats  drew  up  in  a 
long  line,  side  by  side,  with  their  bows  on  the  beach. 


*;;  ii 


lr» 


!      f,      I 

I       '      I         i. 


\      ' 


■ !      i 


'I 


310 


TIIAVEL,   ADVENTURE,   AND   SPORT. 


Tires  wore  soon  lighted,  and  a  few  tents  pitclied  hero 
and  tlierc.  As  one  looked  down  from  the  high  l)a]ik 
upon  the  busy  scene  below,  where  all  Avas  clieerfiil 
bustle,  the  hum  of  voices,  the  noise  of  the  axe  chop- 
ping wood,  and  now  and  then  the  crashing  sound  of  a 
falling  tree,  one  realised  how  cpiickly  the  solitude  of 
the  forest  is  transformed  into  life  by  the  presence  of 
man,  endowed  as  he  is  with  so  many  wants.  The 
climate  was  that  of  the  south  of  Europe ;  and  as  the 
run  set  lieyond  a  horizon  of  water,  one  might  have 
imagined  one's  self  in  some  Grecian  island  looking 
out  upon  the  ^fediterranean,  the  beach  covered  with 
the  crews  and  boats  of  a  corsair  fleet. 

Rrveillf  sounded  next  morning  ere  it  was  light ; 
and  after  a  hurried  breakfast,  we  once  more  em- 
barked, steering  about  S.W.  for  the  mouth  of  tlie 
Eed  Eiver.  Lake  Winnipeg  is  264  miles  long  by 
about  35  miles  in  breadth,  and  has  an  area  of  9000 
square  miles.  It  drains  about  400,000  square  miles 
of  country.  Its  average  depth  is  not  more  than  from 
6  to  8  feet ;  and  those  who  have  navigated  it  for  many 
years  say  it  is  filling  up  more  and  more  every  year. 
Owing  to  this  shallowness,  a  little  wind  soon  raises  a 
very  heavy  sea,  the  waves  being  so  high  at  times  for 
days  together  that  no  boats  can  venture  on  it.  Many 
of  the  detachments  in  rear  were  thus  detained  at  Fort 
Alexander  and  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Elk  Island. 

As  we  approached  the  mouths  of  Eed  Eiver,  the 
water  became  so  shallow  at  places  that  many  of  our 


THE   IIED   nVEli   EXPEDITIOX. 


317 


]km1  here 
igh  bank 

clicorf  u  1 
ixe  chop- 
>iin(l  of  a 
litudo  of 
ssence  (if 
ts.  Tlio 
1(1  as  the 
^ht  have 

look  Dig 
red  Avith 

IS  light ; 
lore  eiii- 
1  of  tlie 
long  by 
of  9000 
ire  miles 
lan  from 
lor  many 
3ry  year, 
raises  a 
inies  for 
.  Many 
[  at  Fort 
Island, 
iver,  the 
y  of  our 


Ijoats  grounded ;  but  as  the  day  was  calm  and  the 
bottom  was  muddy,  they  did  not  suffer  any  damage. 

The  scenery  is  extremely  dreary  as  one  nears  the 
river — not  a  tree  to  l)e  .^cn,  and  only  a  few  bushes 
;it  places  where  tlie  land  seemed  to  bo  somewhat 
higher  tlian  elsewhere.  Great  flats  of  alluvial  deposit 
stretched  out  into  the  lake,  all  densely  covered  with 
reeds  and  rushes,  a  fitting  home  for  the  flocks  of  wild- 
duck  tliat  quacked  out  a  greeting  to  us  as  we  ap- 
proached them. 

"Where  the  left  bank  terminates  there  is  a  little 
firm  ground,  upon  which  a  few  Indians  were  en- 
camped, who  fired  their  guns  ofT  as  a  salute  as  we 
landed  to  cook  dinners  at  about  one  o'clock.  A  few 
presents  soon  made  us  friends ;  and  they  consented 
to  man  a  canoe  to  take  up  a  loyal  half-ljreed  whom 
we  had  with  us  to  the  Lower  or  Stone  Fort,  as  it 
was  considered  desirable  that  we  should  communicate 
secretly  with  the  Hudson  Bay  officer  in  charge  of 
that  post.  Dinner  over,  we  lost  no  time  in  pushing 
on  ;  but  the  wind,  unfortunately,  was  blowing  down 
stream,  so  that  pulling  against  the  current  was  labori- 
ous work.  AYe  advanced  in  three  lines  of  boats,  the 
guns  in  the  leading  boats  of  one  line,  and  kept  ready 
for  action  at  a  moment's  warning.  We  had  hoj^ed  to 
have  reached  the  Lower  Fort  by  evening ;  but  night 
coming  on  when  we  were  still  about  twelve  miles 
from  it,  we  were  forced  to  halt  opposite  the  Indian 
settlement. 


.\      i 


^|: 


318 


THAVEL,  ADVENTUUE,  AND  SPORT. 


Tlio  chief  of  thoso  loyal  swampy  Indians  soon 
made  his  appearance,  and  had  a  ''  i)ow-wow "  witli 
Colonel  Wolseley,  being  dismissed,  after  a  lengthencil 
conversation,  with  presents  of  pork  and  flour,  lie 
told  us  that  although  every  one  ha('.  long  been  ex- 
pecting us,  no  news  of  our  whereabouts  had  lately 
reached  liini  ;  so  that,  until  he  saw  the  fleet  comin:^ 
round  the  bend  in  the  river,  he  Avas  not  aware  that 
our  leading  detachment  had  even  reached  Fort 
Alexander. 

The  Hudson  "Day  Company's  ofiicer  from  the 
Lower  Fort  having  been  sent  for,  arrived  in  the 
middle  of  the  night,  and  corroborated  this  statement. 
No  one  at  Fort  Garry,  he  said,  expected  us  so  soon,  or 
knew  anything  of  our  doings,  further  than  that  some 
of  our  boats  had  been  seen  on  the  Lake  of  the  AVoods. 

An  early  start  the  following  morning,  the  23d  of 
August,  enabled  ns  to  reach  the  Lower  Fort  in  time 
for  breakfast. 

As  we  advanced  towards  it,  the  people  turned  out 
from  every  house  on  both  banks — the  men  cheered, 
the  women  waved  handkerchiefs,  and  the  bells  of 
the  churches,  which  are  all  Protestant  below  Fort 
Garry,  w^ere  rung  to  manifest  the  universal  joy  felt 
at  seeing  us.  At  some  places  numbers  of  Indians 
were  encamped,  who  welcomed  us  by  the  discharge 
of  firearms.  As  each  man  emerged  from  his  wig- 
wam, bang,  bang,  went  his  double-barrelled  gun. 
As  we   neared   the  Stone  Fort   the   farms   became 


THE   1:ED  IlIVER    EXPEDITION. 


319 


Ills    soon 


licttpr,  and  the  left  bank  mow  thickly  scttlt'd — the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  being  covered  with  poplar, 
aspen,  and  thick  nnch'rgrowth.  The  hanks  hcM-aiue 
liiglier  and  steeper  as  Ave  ascenihxl  the  river,  expos- 
ing to  view  a  section  which  would  have  delighted  a 
geological  explorer.  Tlie  surface  was  composed  a[)- 
parently  of  alluvial  clay  and  vegetable  mould,  four 
or  five  feet  deep,  lying  over  clay  interspersed  with 
l)Oulders  to  a  depth  of  about  ten  feet  ;  under  it 
ai:ain  was  stratified  limestone  of  a  highly  fossilifcr- 
ous  character,  and  of  a  light  brownish-ycdlow  colour 
— it  was  the  first  limestone  we  had  seen  during  our 
journey.  The  upper  half  of  the  banks  was  nearly 
perpendicular ;  the  lower  half,  being  comp(~>sed  of 
debris  from  the  clay,  boulders,  and  disintegrated 
limestone,  formed  an  easy  slope.  When  wet,  the 
mud  formed  from  these  substances  is  of  such  a 
soapy  and  sticky  nature  that  it  is  almost  impossible 
to  walk  over  it  without  losing  your  shoes. 

As  we  pulled  in  to  shore  in  front  of  the  Stone  Fort, 
we  Avere  welcomed  by  cheers  from  all  the  people, 
who,  from  below,  had  proceeded  there  on  horselmck 
as  soon  as  they  saw  us  row  past  their  farms.  The 
union-jack  was  hoisted  by  the  servants  of  the  Com- 
pany— an  emblem  of  nationality  that  none  had  dared 
to  display  for  many  months.  Joy  was  written  on 
every  one's  countenance. 

The  Lower  or  Stone  Fort  is  twenty-one  and  a  half 
miles  by  road  from  Fort  Garry,  and  stands  on  the 


320 


TliAVEL,   ADVENTURE,   AND   SPOKT. 


I,  i 


l<,'ft  bank  of  tho  river.  It  is  a  square  enclosure,  with 
large  circular  "bastions  at  each  angle,  the  walls  ]hAiv^ 
of  substantial  masonry  and  loopholed  throughout. 
There  is  a  good  steani-niill,  where  the  Hudson  ]\i\y 
Company  grind  all  the  flour  they  require  in  this 
northern  department.  The  stone  used  in  all  these 
buildings  is  ([uarried  from  the  bank  on  which  the 
Fort  stands,  which  is  there  about  forty  feet  higli. 
AVe  discharged  all  surplus  stores  here,  retaining  only 
enough  provisions  for  a  few  days,  so  as  to  lighten  our 
boats  as  much  as  possible.  A  company  of  the  COth 
Eifles  was  mounted  on  ponies  and  in  carts,  and  ex- 
tended as  a  line  of  skirmishers  on  the  left  bank,  Avitli 
orders  to  keep  well  ahead,  hut  always  in  communica- 
tion by  signallers  with  the  boats.  An  officer  on 
horseback  was  sent  to  examine  the  right  bank,  so  as 
to  protect  us  from  surprise  there,  although  there  was 
little  chance  of  any  opposition  being  attempted  on 
that  side,  even  should  Kiel  intend  fighting.  That 
bandit  potentate,  according  to  the  new^s  of  the  day 
before  from  Fort  Garry,  was  still  in  the  Fort,  await- 
ing the  arrival  of  his  friend  Bishop  Tache,  who  Avas 
hourly  expected.  Strict  watch  and  guard  was  still 
maintained  by  his  armed  followers,  whose  numbers 
varied  constantly.  We  took  every  possible  precau- 
tion to  prevent  intelligence  of  our  arrival  in  the  river 
from  reaching  Fort  Garry.  !N'o  one  was  permitted  to 
pass  in  that  direction,  although  every  one  was  allowed 
to  come  within  our  line  of  skirmishers.      This  was 


THE   RED   RIVEll   EXPEDITION. 


321 


done  so  successfully,  that  although  wc  halteil  for  the 
nii^lit  at  only  six  miles  from  the  place,  Kiel  did  not 
know  positively  that  we  were  in  the  river.  A  va^'ue 
report  of  some  boats  with  men  in  them  being  on  tlieir 
way  up  towards  the  Fort  had  r(;aehed  the  village  of 
AVinnipeg ;  but  there  had  l)een  so  many  previous 
rumours  of  a  similar  nature  fr(jm  week  to  week  in 
the  two  preceding  months,  that  no  one  credited  it. 
"We  subse(iuently  ascertained  that  Kiel  and  O'Dono- 
glnie  rode  out  late  at  night  in  our  direction ;  but  heavy 
rain  coming  on  as  they  approached  our  pickets,  and 
heing  in  dread  of  capture,  they  returned  without  any 
certain  information  regarding  us. 

Our  advance  up  the  river  had  much  of  a  triumphal 
procession  about  it.  Every  church-bell  rang  out  its 
peal  of  welcome ;  ladies  in  their  best  toilets,  squaws 
with  papooses  on  their  backs,  the  painted  warrior  of 
the  plain — all  testified  joy  after  their  own  fashion. 
There  are  some  small  rapids  a  few  miles  above  the 
Stone  Fort,  caused  by  a  ledge  of  limestone  cropping  up 
and  forming  a  natural  dam  to  the  waters  above.  The  de- 
tention caused  by  having  to  pole  and  track  up  so  many 
boats  at  one  time  enabled  the  inhabitants  to  get  a  good 
view  of  us ;  so  they  assembled  in  numbers  to  do  so. 

The  wind  being  against  us,  we  had  to  halt  for  tlie 
night  at  a  point  six  miles  by  road  from  Fort  Garry. 
Our  bivouac  was  carefully  watched  by  a  cordon  of 
sentries  on  both  banks  of  the  river,  and  trustworthy 
men  were  sent  forward  into  the  village  near  the  Fort 


i  w 


I! 


M   M 


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322 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


to  gain  information,  and  meet  us  in  the  early  morn- 
ing, as  it  was  intended  t"  march  npon  the  Fort  at 
daybreak.     The   *'  shave "   tliat  night  was,   that  wo 
should  have  a  figlit ;  and  it  was  well  that  we  had 
something  to  cheer  us,  for  a  more  dreary  attempt  at 
repose  it  is  impossible  to  imagine.     It  1)egan  to  pour 
with  rain  soon  after  nightfall,  and  continued  witlioiit 
cessation  until  morning.     To  march  upon  Fort  Garry 
was  out  of  tlic  question,  or  at  least  it  v;ould  liave 
been  folly  to  have  attempted  it,  when  we  had  tlie 
means  of  going  there  by  water,  as  the  face  of  tlie 
country  was  changed  into  a  sea  of  mud.    Koads  there 
are  none  on  tliese  j^rjiiries,  in  the  ordinary  acceptation 
of  the   term.     Places   Ijetween  which    there   is  any 
traffic  are  joined  by  cart-tracks,  for  which  a  width 
of   about  eighty  yards   is   allowed  when  they  pass 
through  a  farm ;  so  that  when  one  spot  becomes  cut 
up,  the  traveller  can  have  a  wide  margin  to  select  his 
way  from  upon  each  side  of  the  old  path. 

This  necessary  change  of  plan  was  annoying,  as 
we  had  looked  forward  to  advancing  upon  the  Fort 
in  all  the  pride,  pomp,  and  circumstance  of  war. 

As  we  bent  over  our  fires  at  daybreak,  trying  to 
get  some  warmth  for  our  bodies,  and  sufficient  heat 
to  boil  the  kettles,  a  more  miserable-looking  lot  <»f 
objects  it  would  be  impossible  to  imagine.  Every 
one  was  wet  through ;  we  were  cold  and  hungry ; 
our  very  enemies  would  have  pitied  our  plight.  A 
hurried  breakfast  of  tea  and  biscuit  was  soon  over, 


THE    KED   IIIVER   EXPEDITIOX. 


323 


and  wc  were  again  in  tlie  boats  by  6  a.m.,  rowing  in 
tlu'ce  cohimns  towards  Fort  Garry,  as  upon  the  pre- 
ceding day.  It  poured  heavily,  and  the  country  was 
at  places  a  sheet  of  water,  through  which  our  skir- 
mishers on  the  banks  had  to  wade  as  best  they 
could.  As  we  ap[)roached  the  Protestant  cathedral, 
the  union-jack  was  run  up  to  the  steeple,  and  its 
hells  rang  out  a  musical  welcome  to  the  expeditionary 
force.  The  left  bank  was  neatly  cultivatiid  and  well 
settled,  the  population  being  entirely  of  English  and 
8e<itch  descent.  The  other  bank  was  a  tangled  mass 
of  poor  timber,  and  an  underbrush  consisting  of  hazel 
and  rose  bushes,  interwined  with  Virginia  creeper. 
The  moderately-rapid  current  in  the  river  has,  in  the 
course  of  ages,  cut  out  for  itself  a  canal-like  channel, 
which  averaged  from  150  to  300  yards  in  width. 
The  floods  in  sprin-;,  when  the  ice  breaks  up,  have 
in  the  last  twenty  years  doubled  in  some  places  the 
distance  between  tiie  banks,  which  are  of  most  tena- 
cious clay,  sti'cp  throughout,  and  generally  about 
thirty  feet  high.  AVe  landed  at  a  place  called  Point 
Douglas,  on  the  left  Ijank,  where  the  river  makes  a 
great  bend  to  the  eastward ;  so  that,  although  it  is 
only  about  two  miles  by  road  to  the  Fort,  it  is  about 
six  there  by  river.  Our  skirmishers  had  collected  a 
few  carts  and  horses,  sufficient  for  the  conveyance  of 
some  tools,  ammunition,  t^'c,  t^'c.  The  guns  were 
fastened  by  their  trails  to  the  rear  of  carts,  and 
dragged  along  in  that  manner.     ^lessengers  who  had 


*   IWcl' 


;i        ?    r 


? ' 


324 


TRAVEL,   ADVENTURE,   AND   SPORT. 


;  i  i-i 


i|!:|i 


iH»' 


boon  sent  on  the  jn'evious  evening  to  the  village  oi 
Winnipeg  joined  us  here  with  information  that  Riol 
and  his  gang  were  still  in  the  Fort,  and  that  tlif 
current  rumour  was  that  he  intended  to  fight.  He 
had  distributed  additional  ammunition  amongst  liis 
men,  and  the  gates  were  closed  and  the  guns 
loaded. 

The  men  Avere  ([uickly  ashore,  and  advanced  tn- 
w^ards  the  Fort  under  cover  of  a  line  of  skirmishers. 
It  was  heavy  work  marching  through  the  deep  nuul 
with  a  driving  rain  beating  in  our  faces,  making  it 
very  difficult  to  see  more  than  a  few  hundred  yards 
before  us.  Notwithstanding  all  the  e  c;  r-wbacks,  the 
men's  pace  was  most  elastic,  and  tixo}  weve  in  the 
highest  spirits  at  the  prospect  of  a  fight,  which  all 
the  inhabitants  we  encountered  now  assured  us  we 
were  certain  of  having.  The  village  of  Winnipeg  is 
a  small  collection  of  houses,  chiefly  of  wood,  situated 
about  800  yards  north  of  the  Fort,  with  which  a 
straight  road  connects  it.  The  Fort  is  in  the  right 
angle  formed  by  the  junction  of  the  Assinaboine  witli 
the  Red  River,  being  north  of  the  former  and  west 
of  the  latter  stream.  It  was  known  that  th  v  v^'is 
a  boat-bridge  over  the  Assinaboine,  immedirt  dv 
opposite  the  southern  gate  of  the  Fort.  It  was 
therefore  desirable  to  draw  our  line  of  attack  roun<l 
it,  so  as  to  command  the  two  rivers,  and  so  getting 
the  enemy  into  tlie  corner  formed  by  them,  prevent 
his  escape. 


Si,*. 


:i     t 


THE   PtED   rJVEH    EXPEDITIOX. 


325 


Instead,  therefore,  of  passing  directly  througli  the 
village,  we  swe})t  round  t(~»  the  west,  leaving  it  on 
(,ur  left ;    and  when   clear  of  it,    swung  round  our 
right   Avitli  the    inti^itinn   of    taking   up  a   position 
commanding  the   oridgo.     T]io  people  in  tlu^  village 
assured  us  thrt  liiel  was  in  the  Ymi,  an<l  intended 
to  resist.      Several  Avere  asked  to  go  forward  in  ad- 
vance of  our  skirmishers,  to  ascertain  if  the  S(nithern 
gate  was  closed  and  the  walls  manned  ;  hut  all  f<\ared 
to  do  so.      As  we  passed  the  village  we  could  see  the 
uuns   in   the   emhrasures   hearing    in  our   direction. 
Some    people    in    huggies    were   descried    going    olF 
from  the  Fort  westerly,  hut  were  hrought  to  a  halt 
by  our   skirmishers.     They    proved    to  he   some  of 
IJiel's  counsellors;  hut  nothing  could  Ije  learned  from 
them.     The  atmosphere  was  so  thick  that  it  was  dif- 
ficult to  make  out,  even  with  our  glasses,  whether 
men  were  or  were  not  standing  to  the  guns  which 
we  saw.     We  expected  every  moment  to  see  a  puff 
of  smoke  from  an  emhrasure,  to  he  followed  hy  the 
whizz  of  a  round  shot  past  our  heads.      Every  mo- 
ment   mcreased    the    excitement :    the    skirmishers 
quickened  their  pace  as  they  neared  the   place,  as 
if  in  dread  lest  others  should  enter  it  hefore  them. 
Evervthing  remaining  silent,  some  stafT-officers  were 
sent  ffiilloDing  round  to  see  if  the  southern  gate  was 
open,  and  Avhat  was  going  on  in  rear  of   the  Fort. 
They    soon   returned,    l)ringing   word    that    it    was 
evacuated,  and  the  gates  left  0})en. 

VOL.  I.  Y 


'^      (r.-  j.f 


'I  'W 


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32G 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SRORT. 


so 


This  Avas  at  first  a  sad  disappointment  to  the  s( 
diers,  Avho,  having  gone  through  so  much  toil  in  ordci' 
to  put  down  the  rebellion,  longed  to  be  avenged  upon 
its  authors.  Our  victory,  although  bloodless,  Mas 
complete.  We  dragged  out  some  of  the  rebel  guns, 
and  lired  a  royal  salute  as  the  union-jack  was  run  up 
the  ilagstalf,  from  which  liad  floated,  for  so  many 
months,  the  rel^el  banner  that  had  been  worked  for 
Itiel  by  the  nuns  in  the  convent  attached  to  iUsliop 
Tache's  cathedral.  The  scene  inside  tlie  Fort  was 
most  depressing  :  the  stpiare  in  frcjut  of  the  princi- 
•al  house  was  under  water,  and  there  was  mud  and 
iilth  everywhere.  Riel  and  some  of  his  friends  had 
remained  in  the  Fort  up  to  the  last  possible  mo- 
ment, and  had  ordy  left  when  they  saw  our  skii- 
mishers.  Their  breakfast  was  still  on  the  table  ;  ami 
their  clotlies  and  arms  lay  scattered  about  through 
the  numerous  houses  they  had  occupied,  in  a  manner 
denoting  the  suddenness  of  their  departure. 

Every  one  was  drenched  with  rain ;  and  as  the 
ground  round  the  Fort  was  deep  with  mud,  the  men 
were  temporarily  lodged  in  the  storehouses  and  build- 
ings within  it. 

Fort  Garry  is  a  rectangular  parallelogram,  sur- 
rounded by  high  walls  of  masonry,  except  on  the 
northern  side,  where  they  are  formed  of  large  srpiare 
logs  i:)laced  horizontally,  one  over  the  other.  At  eacli 
of  the  southern  angles,  and  half-way  down  the  eastern 
and  western  faces,  there  is  a  circular  tower  affording 


THE   PiED   IlIVEK    EXPEDITION, 


327 


llanking  defence  to  the  place.  The  Asshiaboine 
Kiver  flows  at  ahout  a  liuiidred  yards  from  its 
.southern  side.  Like  the  Eed  Ili\'er,  its  banks  are 
steep,  and  of  very  sticky  clay,  the  Fort  being  about 
forty  feet  al)0V(;  the  water's  level.  Looking  east 
over  the  lied  liiver,  one  sees  the  lionian  Catholic 
cathedral,  with  its  monastery,  convent,  and  bishop's 
palace,  all  Avell-bnilt  and  neatly-kept  buildings.  Close 
to  them  are  some  miserably  stpialid  cabins  l)elonging 
to  French  half-breeds,  whose  houses  generally  are 
vastly  inferior  in  every  respect  to  those  of  liritish 
origin.  The  eastern  horizon  is  formed  of  trees,  chielly 
poplar  and  asjien  ;  for  although  the  regular  wooded 
country  is  not  reached  for  about  thirty  nules  west  of 
lied  Itiver,  still  there  are  numerous  belts  of  wood  in- 
tersecting the  prairie  in  that  direction.  Looking  up 
that  river  towards  the  south,  the  eye  wanders  over 
a  series  of  wretchedly-tilled  farms,  with  their  houses 
and  barns  situated  upon  l)oth  banks,  and  interspersed 
here  and  there  with  patches  of  poplar,  dwarf  oak, 
willow,  and  underbrush.  The  banks  of  the  Assina- 
boine  are  skirted  by  Avoods  of  a  similar  description, 
having  occasional  clearances  for  the  squalid  houses 
of  the  French  half-breeds,  who  occupy  the  adjoining 
farms.  Looking  north,  the  whitewashed  buildings 
constituting  the  village  of  "Winnipeg,  and  the  farm- 
houses of  well-to-do  English-speaking  people,  give  an 
air  of  pu'osperity  to  the  landscape :  in  the  distance  is 
the  square  tower  of  the  badly-built  English  cathedral, 


Hk 


328 


TltAVEL,    ADVENTURE,   AND    SPOKT. 


1.!;^   I 


I      J' 


ail  out  of  tlie  perpendicular,  and  foreboding  a  fall  at 
no  very  distant  time. 

The  one  point  of  vieAV  having  peculiar  interest  to 
the  stranger  is  gained  by  turning  "svest  or  south- 
westward.  Far  as  the  eye  can  see,  there  is  stretched 
out  before  3'ou  an  ocean  of  grass,  whose  vast  im- 
mensity grows  upon  you  more  and  more  the  longer 
you  gaze  upon  it.  Gallop  out  alone  in  the  evening 
for  a  few  miles  from  the  Fort  towards  the  8.AV., 
and  the  most  unimpressionable  of  mortals  will  ex- 
perience a  novel  sensation.  A  feeling  of  indescrib- 
ably buoyant  freedom  seems  to  tingle  through  every 
nerve,  making  the  old  feel  young  again.  Old  age 
and  decrepitude  Ijelong  to  civilisation  and  the  abodes 
of  men.  AVe  can  even  associate  it  in  our  mind  with 
mountains,  whose  rocks  themselves  appear  as  monu- 
ments of  preceding  centuries ;  and  the  withered  and 
fallen  trees  in  ancient  forests  seem  akin  to  it :  but 
upon  the  boundless  prairies,  with  no  traces  of  man  in 
sight,  nature  looks  so  fresh  and  smiling  that  youth 
alone  is  in  consonance  with  it. 

Xotwithstanding  the  badness  of  the  weather  on 
the  day  that  we  took  possession  of  Fort  Garry, 
numbers  of  the  loyal  inhabitants  came  in  to  see 
their  deliverers.  All  were  most  anxious  that  im- 
mediate vengeance  should  be  taken  upon  the  rebel 
leaders,  and  many  volunteered  to  ca]3ture  Riel  and 
others  of  his  gang,  who  were  stated  to  be  still  within 
easy  reach.     The  officer  commanding  the  troops  had 


THE   RED    UIVEIt    EXPEDITIOX. 


329 


liad  no  civil   autliority  confeiTcd  upon   liini  l»y  tlie 
Canadian  Government,  so  it  was  not  in  liis  power  to 
issue  warrants  for  their  arrest.     The  Ottawa  ]\rinistry 
had    intended    that    the    civil    Lieutenant-Governor 
whom  they  had  appointed  for  the  province  of  ^lani- 
toba  sliould  have  arrived  at  Fort  Garry  eitlier  with 
or  immediately  after  us.     We  reached  that  place  on 
the  morning  of  the  •24th  August,  but  he  did  not  get 
there  until   the   evening  of   the   2d   September,  no 
arrangement    having   been    made    bv    the    Canadian 
]\Iinistry  for  the  government  of  the  province  during 
tliat  interregnum.     Colonel  AVolseley  found  himself 
in  a  difficult  position.     The  most  hifluential  people, 
longing  for  sonic  form  of  government  that  Avould  be 
strong  enough  to  afford  the  community  protection, 
liegged  him  to   assume  the   position  of   provisional 
Lieutenant-Governor.     To  have  done  so  would  liave 
Ijeen  illegal ;   for  the  Hudson  Bay  Company,  repre- 
sented l)y  its  officers,  were  de  Jure  tlie  rulers  of  tlie 
country,   until   an   official  communication  had  been 
received  announcing  its  transfer  to  the  Dominion  of 
Canada,     As  the  rebels  had  l)olted  without  firing  a 
shot,   to   have   proclaimed    martial   laAS'   would   have 
been  unwarrantable.      He  therefore  insisted  upon  the 
senior  officer  of  the  Company  then  present  being  re- 
cognised as  governor  of  the  province,  as  if  there  had 
never  been  any  rebellion  whatever,  and  as  if  the  rule  of 
the  Company  had  continued  without  any  break,  until 
the  newly-appointed  Lieutenant-Go^■ernor  arrived. 


M 


mn 


330 


TUAYEL,  ADVENTUKK,  AND  SPORT. 


Ivi: 


Few,  except  those  "who  have  had  revohitioiiarv 
experience,  can  form  a  just  idea  of  tlie  condition  nf 
affairs  on  the  lied  lliver  for  some  (hays  after  our 
arrivah  Tliere  were  no  police  to  maintain  order;  all 
those  who  liad  during  tlie  past  winter  sutlered  in  hody 
or  in  property  from  liiel's  tyranny,  considered  tliey 
were  justified  in  avenging  themselves  upon  those  wlio 
had  had  any  connection  with  rebel  affairs.  The  re- 
action from  the  state  of  fear  and  trembling  in  which 
all  had  lived  for  the  preceding  ten  months  was  too 
great  for  many,  and  there  was  some  little  trouble  in 
keeping  them  in  proper  restraint.  The  rebel  leaders 
had  disappeared,  but  many  of  their  adherents  had 
merely  gone  home,  hoping  to  be  forgotten  through 
the  insignificance  of  their  position.  Those  who  had 
remainetl  loyal  were  loud  in  expressing  their  discon- 
tent at  these  rebels  being  allowed  to  live  at  large. 

Every  precaution  was  taken  by  the  military  to 
prevent  any  serious  disturbance.  Armed  parties 
patrolled  about  the  Fort  and  throufdi  the  village  each 
night  until  everything  was  quiet,  and  a  few  special 
constables  were  sworn  in  as  policemen  to  assist  in 
preserving  order  in  the  town.  Unfortunately,  whisky 
was  to  be  had  in  every  shop  in  the  village  ;  and  the 
Indians  who  had  served  with  us  as  voyageurs  added 
to  the  excitement  by  their  noisy  drunkenness.  The 
Lieutenant-Governor  was  hourly  expected ;  but  as 
day  after  day  passed  without  his  being  heard  of,  a 
good  deal  of  nice  management  was  required  to  keep 


1 


THE   KED   KIVER   EXTEDITIOX. 


331 


things  quiet,  ami  prevent  any  collision  l»etween  the 
loyalists  and  those  who  had  recently  heen  in  arms 
against  her  ^lajesty.  If  military  rule  had  been 
resorted  to,  quiet  and  jx'ace  could  liave  been  easily 
mamtained  ;  but  it  Avas  considered  essential  for  i)olit- 
ical  reasons  to  keep  the  military  element  in  the  l)ack- 
ground  as  much  as  possi])lc,  and  to  make  it  appear 
that  law  and  order  were  maintained  there  in  the 
same  manner  as  in  the  other  Canadian  provinces. 
The  difficulty  of  doing  so  may  be  partially  appreciated 
when  it  is  remembered  that  all  the  former  machinery 
of  government  had  disappeared,  and  even  the  few 
magistrates  who  remained  w(n'e  afraid  or  disinclined 
to  act.  There  was  no  law  oiticer  of  any  description  ; 
so  that  in  reality  order  was  kept  by  the  moral  effect 
produced  by  the  presence  of  the  troops,  and  by  the 
consciousness  that  they  would  be  used  at  any  moment 
if  necessary  for  the  suppression  of  disturl)ance.  There 
were  occasionally  rumours  of  armed  bodies  of  rebels 
collecting  on  the  frontier,  or  in  the  plains  to  the  west ; 
but  as  soon  as  the  people  generally  perceived  that  no 
arrests  were  being  made  by  the  military,  and  that 
even  the  few  leading  rebels  who  had  been  captured 
by  our  skirmishers  in  Uieir  advance  upon  the  Fort 
had  been  released  without  any  trial  whatever,  public 
confidence  revived.  Even  the  poor  ignorant  French 
half-breeds,  who  had  been  misled  by  their  priests  for 
political  objects,  accepted  the  position,  and  settled 
down  to  their  ordinary  occupations.    In  such  sparse! 


!        I 


33: 


TKAVEL,    ADVENTUIIK,   AND   SPOKT. 


r  i 


popukited  countries,  revolutionary  inovenieuts  lioM 
within  themselves  tlio  <;erm  of  dissolution.  It  is 
difficult  to  collect  the  men  together  for  action  ;  and 
if  collected,  it  is  dillicult  to  obtain  foo;l,  or  funds  tu 
Iniy  it  for  them.  Kiel  got  over  this  dilliculty  hy 
seizing  upon  the  Iludson  ]]ay  Company  stores  (jf  pro- 
visions as  a  preliminary  step  in  his  rebellion.  He 
was  thus  able  to  feed,  clothe,  and  pay  his  soldiers  at 
the  Company's  expense.  If  at  the  outset  of  liis 
revolutionary  career  Fort  Garry  had  been  set  on  fire, 
and  all  its  stores  of  food,  money,  clothing,  ammunition, 
&c.,  (fcc,  thus  burnt,  the  rebellion  would  have  been 
smothered  and  buried  in  the  smoke  and  ashes. 

Kiel  in  his  fall  experienced  the  fickleness  of  Dame 
Fortune.  On  the  23d  August  he  was  the  despotic 
potentate  issuing  orders  like  a  dictator,  there  l)eing 
none  to  gainsay  him.  Early  in  the  forenoon  on  the 
following  morning  he  might  l.'a've  been  seen  acconi- 
jianied  only  by  one  follower,  both  on  stolen  horses, 
galloping  through  the  rain  and  mud,  their  backs  to- 
wards the  scene  of  their  villany.  Let  us  hope  that 
as  he  passed  in  his  flight  the  spot  where  the  poor 
Canadian  volunteer  had  been  murdered  by  his  orders, 
he  repented  him  of  his  crime.  These  two  worthies, 
the  master  and  the  nuxn,  having  crossed  to  the  right 
bank  of  the  Eed  River,  fied  south,  thinking  they 
were  safer  from  pursuit  on  that  side  of  it  than  if  they 
followed  the  regular  road  to  Pembina,  which  runs  on 
the  western  or  left   bank  of  that  stream.       Night 


'■'  \\ 


TIIK    KEI)    KIVEi:    EXrEDITIOX. 


333 


having  set  in,  they  Itivouackod  on  the  plain,  and  wi^nn 
waking  tUo  following  morning  discovcrcel  that  their 
horses  had  disappeared.  They  "were  without  food. 
l)ut  their  pockets  were  well  lined  with  stolen  money. 
Having  lost  their  horses,  and  that  side  of  tlie  river 
being  little  inhabited,  it  was  necessary  for  them  to 
cross  to  the  other  hank.  There  was  no  hoat,  so  they 
set  to  work  pulling  d<jwn  a  fence  to  make  a  raft. 
They  could  not  find  enougli  rope  or  cord  to  fasten  it 
together,  so  Kiel's  follower — his  late  "Secretary  of 
State  " — took  off  his  trousers  and  used  them  for  that 
purpose.  Upon  landing  on  the  other  side  they  were 
assailed  by  the  farmer,  who  had  seen  them  pulling 
down  his  fence,  and  were  forced  to  disgorge  some  of 
their  plunder  as  compensation  for  the  damage.  Two 
days  afterwards  they  reached  l\'ml)ina — JJiel  with 
hare  feet,  swollen  and  sore  from  the  journey.  He 
found  that  he  was  not  at  all  well  received  hy  the 
Americans  tliere,  who  had  taken  umbrage  at  his  hav- 
ing imprisoned  their  consul  ;  so  he  went  to  St  Josephs, 
a  village  about  fifty  miles  to  the  west,  and  within  a 
few  miles  of  our  frontier.  He  had  previously  sent  a 
large  proportion  of  his  plunder  to  that  place ;  and, 
according  to  the  latest  received  accounts,  he  is  still 
there,  living  comfortably  in  the  enjoyment  of  his 
stolen  property. 

The  first  detachment  of  the  regular  troops  started 
from  Fort  Garry  on  their  return-journey  to  Canada 
on  the  2 9  til  of  August,  and  all  of  them  had  left  on 


r 


m 


I  j 


J 


■  ill 


!1 


: 


I 


I 


j  I 


'! 


3:U 


TRAVEL,   ADVEXTUKE,   AND   SPOliT 


tliG  3(1  of  St'ptuniber.  The  two  luilitiii  regiments  lia.l 
1)0011  ([imrtorod,  oik;  in  tlio  Lowor  or  Stones  Fort,  the 
other  in  Fort  (Jarry.  Tlie  regulars  had  all  crosxil 
the  hoiglit  of  land  near  Lake  Su^jerior  on  their  retuni- 
journey  hefore  tlie  1st  of  Oetoher,  and  wore  in  tlicir 
harraeks  at  (Quebec  and  Montreal  before  the  autiuun 
had  elosed  in. 

So  ended  tlio  lied  River  Expedition — an  nndci- 
taking  that  Avill  long  stiind  out  in  our  military 
chronieles  as  possessing  characteristics  peculiarly  its 
own.  The  force  which  landed  at  ]\lassowah  in  1SG7 
had  to  march  about  400  miles  inland,  througli  ;in  iri- 
hidjited  country  where  supplies  were  obtainal)le,  to 
relievo  some  Ih'itish  prisoners  hold  captive  by  a  sov(>- 
reign,  half  tyrant,  half  madman.  Europe  was  in  pro- 
found peace  at  the  time,  so  all  eyes  're  turned  upon 
its  doings.  Although  there  can  s  dy  be  said  to 
have  been  any  fighting,  as  we  had  not  even  a  man 
killed,  still  our  Ministry  was  glad  to  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  attracting  so  much  general  attention  to  a 
military  operation  entirely  English ;  and  many  thinlc 
that  for  the  millions  spent  upon  it,  wo,  as  a  nation, 
received  an  equivalent  in  j^roving  before  the  world 
that  we  were  still  capable  of  military  enterprise.  The 
force  sent  to  the  Red  River  for  the  purpose  of  crush- 
ing out  rebellion  there,  had  to  advance  from  its  point 
of  disembarkation  more  than  600  miles  through  a 
wilderness  of  water,  rocks,  and  forests,  where  no  sup- 


1 


li 


THE   IIED   KIVEi:   EXPEDITION. 


3  3. J 


plies  wero  t<>  lie  liad,  and  wlicrc  (•^•t'ly  pdinul-wciL^ht 
(if  i)r()visioiis  and  stores  liad  to  be  transpditcd  iov 
miles  on  the  baeks  of  the  soldiers.  Ifappily  its  object 
was  aee(tni})lished,  as  in  the  expedition  to  Abyssinia, 
without  any  loss  of  life.  A  Ljreat  war  M'iis  raLfinLT  in 
Europe  whilst  this  Expedition  was  forcing  its  way 
over  and  throu<;h  the  immense  natural  obstacles  that 
lay  in  its  path.  All  thoughts  were  of  affairs  upon  the 
lihine  ;  no  one  could  spare  a  moment's  rellec'tion  for 
the  doings  of  this  little  liritish  army.  Xo  home  news- 
papers cared  to  record  its  success,  nor  to  sound  one 
single  note  of  praise  in  its  honour.  Ly  the  careful 
administration  of  General  Lindsay,  and  the  officers  ho 
had  selected  to  carry  out  his  orders,  the  total  expense 
of  the  whole  Expedition  was  under  £100,000,  one 
quarter  of  which  only  is  to  be  paid  by  England. 
There  was  no  reckless  waste  either  in  material  or  in 
money.  Such  a  careful  economy  was  exercised  in  its 
organisation,  and  in  administering  to  its  subsequent 
w\ants,  that  it  may  be  safely  asserted  that  no  such  dis- 
tance has  ever  been  traversed  by  an  efficient  Inigade 
numbering  about  1400  souls,  in  any  of  our  numerous 
little  wars,  at  such  a  trifling  cost. 

The  English  flag  had  been  pulled  down,  and  the 
standard  of  rebellion  had  been  raised  at  Fort  Garry. 
A  man  loyal  to  his  Queen  had  been  murdered,  loyalty 
having  been  his  crime.  Men  were  imprisoned  and 
robbed  w^ithout  even  the  mockery  of  a  trial.     The 


!-1 


336 


TRAVEL,  ADVENTURE,  AND  SPORT. 


perpetrators  of  tliese  crimes  believed  that  the  wilder- 
ness which  separated  them  from  civilisation  would 
secure  them  from  punishment ;  but  the  manner  in 
which  our  Expedition  performed  its  allotted  task, 
proved  that  no  distance  or  intervening  obstacles  can 
afford  protection  to  tliose  who  outrage  our  laws. 


Ifl'i;! 


i 


I 


i 


M 


m 


i  ■   I 


RT. 


the  wilder- 
fcion  would 
manner  in 
otted  task, 
stack's  can 
laws. 


